The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-08-05

utiSuDOIHDOCs,
Arthur. Behind him the sound Of The
, police whistles and the pursuit grew
! fainter. Arthur, i'll splendid physica
/ trim and spurred by excitement, raj
! like a deer. He slipped down an OBJ
! scure alley, crossed by the backs of q
| half score of mansions, and found him
self in mean street that led down
! to the railroad tracks. The pursuit
was left far behind OF else it had gone
off in a false scent in another direc-
tiCn.
Arthur slackened his pace and re-
gained his breath. He looked down at
himself and saw that he was in even
ing attire. True, in the struggle his
clothes had received some rough han
ding. His dress coat was torn under
the sleeve and his low cut waistcoat
tapped apart, bereft of it's buttons.
And Arthur gave a little laugh as he
saw his shadow under a dim street
lamp and realized that DESPITE the
strenuous encounter through which he
had just passed his silk hat, somewhat
ruH1ed and battered, as examination
proved, was still upon his head.
HOW will [ ever escape in these
toSs? he said to himself ruefuliy.
they'll have my description broad
cast in an hour" Yet he did not falter
for all that, but hurried on in the night
through the deserted streets, and in
some fifteen minutes brisk walk found
himself, by rare good luck, in the rail-
road yards and by long freight train.
just slowly moving out.
with reckless haste he threw him
SER under freight car and drew him
SELF upon the brake beam.
his head ached from the noise and
the reaction of all he had passed
through in the crowded hour at Mrs.
Randolph's ball. Every bone in his
oody ached as he held to the tolting.
creak1ng brake beam. Cramped and
bruised from the position in which ne
lay on DIS narrow, Derilous perch above
the grinding wheels, a dreadful i'm |
pulse seized upon Arthur to let 90 his
stfamlnS grasp and end the now fit- |
Iul fever OF his life beneath the clanlS- |
ing wheels that ground and groaned |
beneath him.
J" nat was he after all but q living
faisehood and cheat? Not a Stanley
OF Stanley hall, spending with a free
hand as became q reckless gentleman
put gypsy imrcstor, 4 cheat, vast
ing substance that was not his, A pu-
sIiiEe from Justice and banlr1,pt he
l1eVed By all who had known him to
oe the murderer Cf a kind and gentle
old man who had never harmed him
DIT on the contrary had been his friend
'lid mac been one Of the agencies bv
"hlch lie, hedge born gypsy, had
oeen reared in a mansion under a high
name never his
Inc glamour OF his self sacrifice in
'nssiolng Bf:sir and thus making hfs,-
Ell a voluntary murder susnoct mass
'd ffen Arthur. He saw now tIa+ !,
av1ng Blair he had only done 81 10
ave himself from the open shonoa and
UTILIZATION that would come to him
FAeal the searching inquiries of 2 n,ur-
Ter trlal, with the evidence that Hanar
ossessed-eVidence he felt sure she
'ould produce to save the life of her
oh-"ouM result in his acGuittal of
aurder. but would leave him strinne1
Tue peacock feathers of the Stanlov
eritaSe That lie, the gypsy iackdaw
al worn SO long.
tie saw in the dust and darkness tho
aielul CLEAN of the diamond from tho
Ky lie saw the accusing. fierce razo
L Ills gypsy mother. and then. like
elleuictlon and saving grace. he
Nv, IN the dust and gloom the sUea+
ace and the sad, wistful eye of Es- s
Ter. lie Grasped the cold iron rod
'anchly now. Let destiny deal him I
liat IL might he would stand the buff
us and fight en- for Esthers sake, S
CHAPTER X.
Lost-The Diamond From the skvi
IN ND what OF the diamond from
VA the sky1 Torn from the fair $
K IA throat Of Vivian Marston. if
les III mail box, with no
5nl 70 Sleam upon it and be reflected
'cA intensified. With letters md
'eha;ses and newspapers folded tight
IS the diamond from the sky without
etalup 10 make 1t mail Of any class
len comes the busy mail collector
itn MS mail collecting car. There is
LIE excitement at the Randolph man
III close by. Police whistles .ro
owing and laundering fight is ooi,o
on the sidewalk.
DuI 300 Adams is one of Tnc,o
LIN man men. Way for the II
an' "h1ch has no time to stop for
''1ce' police whistles or shindias on
e street. But it attracts his ,tton-
a. as do some hurrying passersbv
IL Ne opens the mail box and mo
drags its contents info tho !
Ell NAV Of the drawstring rarnla. |.
~ canvas mail bag. Into the sack !
dAe BOD Adams, mail man. looks /
ia averted head toward the "elerant /
rap goes the mail from box 413. and Il
N II goes the diamond from the slzv /
sod Adams gets back from his col. I
non route to the postofice an honr /:
CT. Ills work is through, and he /;
'ps IN TO see his friend, the sergeo,t Il
ponce headquarters, to learn what I
row was all about that caused sucb L
ohmotlon and evidently put a Grimm /
the swel! ball given by that granda /.
me OF Richmond, Mrs. Rur+on D.. 4
Iph. A's'i'- /:
'ieah"hiie ON the sorting tables of ~
posto1lce the local collections Gre ~
li,s dumped from the mail bags. The