The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-08-26
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAP
TEEC

! A feul has existed between Colonel Az
thur Stanley and his cousin, Judge Lamar
Stanley, over an heirloom, the diamond
from the Sky. found in fallen meteor b..
an ancestor. Also, the succession to TIL.
Stanley earldoni II England may come to
an American. When daughter is born
Is the colonel and the mother dies, the
colonel hlys gypsy boy and substitutes
Inn. Three years later the gypsy mother,
having had no part in this bargain. steals
tire girl, being reared in secret. and leaves
her son undetected the heir. The gyp-
sy has obtained possession of the diamond
from the Sky. and L document with the
Stanley secret. When Esther is grown g
BEAUTIFUL young girl, IIagar, Row gypsy
queen, returns to Virginia with her. Dr
Lee, the late Colonel Stanleys friend
adopts Esther, but demands that IIagar
t&rn over to him the diamond from the
sky. Arthur Stanley, son Of HaSar, falls
in love with Esther and so does his COM
panion and cousin, Blair Stanley, rGhtful
male heir of Stanley. In stealing the dia-
mond Blair causes the death of the doc
tor. Outside i6 Arthur serenading Esther
B.air, escaping, infers that he has left
Esther's room. Arthur forces him t.
fl''ht q duel in which Blair is onl;
stunned. lie tries, with the aid of his
mother, to place the blame for TIC murder
OF DR.. Lee upon Arthur, who now has the
diamond. The sheriff attempts to take
A thur but he eludes his pursuers and
joins Hagar, who reveals his identity and
,ui1braids him for his wild life. Needing
II oney, he pawns the diamond in Rich
mond. Blair is in Richmond, and he, too,
is forced to visit the pawnshop. The two
agree to stand by each other. At Il ball,
a which Il supposed New York belle is
the guest of honor, they are stunned to
find the diamond the visitor. She is
al adventuress who has borrowed il.
is te1li 80 fur
time Luke Lowell, Hagar's gypsy guard,
steals the diamond and to avoid detection
drops it ntD a mail box. A sheriff tries
to arrest Arthur on the murder charge
He escapes from Richmond on a freight
train. The diamond passes into Il mail
bGS, which is lost from wagon and is
pi cked up by Quabba, an organ grinder.
Quabba S monkey steals the diamond and
leaves it in a nest in a tree. Arthur is
ROBBED by hoboes, who leave him in tat
te-s. He seeks work at a farm. 1Iagar
takes Esther to live at Stanley hall. An
OIL time tournament is held Arthur at
tie ads in disguise, proves himself the best
knight, uefeating Blair, but is betrayed
by the latter to the sheriff. Quabba, in
jest, handouts the sheriff and Blair. BY
da ring craftsmanship Arthur escapes. Lat
er he leaves the farm. Tom Blake. a de-
te"tive Hired by Hagar, produces finger
pl hts proving Blair guilty of the death
of DR.. Lee. Blair and his mother quarre!
at out Vivian. Hagar proposes silence to
NJ 5. Stanley as the price of 1Iagars and
E hers being received in Fairfax society.
Blair strikes down Eagar and steals the
tirserprints and money from his mother
TIE diamond is found by a negro boy and
is taken by q tramp. The latter is nl14r-
de~ed by Hung Ii, who hangs the gem
OIL his idol. Thence it is stolen just as q
Summing party enters Hung Lis den.
Hagar, mentally unbalanced by Blair 5
blow, is again with Esther among the
gyosies. Marnaduke Smythe, lawyer, ar
RI es to announce Arthur is heir to the
de ceased Earl of Stanley. Learning Ar
thur Is q fugitive he seeks Blair instead.
Vivian asks the diamond of Blair as the
price of conserving to marry him.