Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1915-12-05

Further directions to where Quabbs
would wait for the prisoner WITH q change
Of clothing were whispered in the gypsy
tongue. The next night was the time ap-
pointed
At tie Powell mansion the last night =
is duly celebrated. De Naux is not there,
but Durand and Vivian are with Arthur in
the library. plying him with liquor and
encouraging him 70 wild and foolish PLAY
at cards DUrand has the money for the
generous check that Arthur gave him. Bat
the archcrook is not content with this
ConseuitalIy he IS diamond thief, and big
diamonds, rare diamonds valuable diamonds
are his obsession. Not 10 buy them. not 10
keep them-but TO steal them!
In the cabinet III John PowelIs room -
the diamond from the SKY. John Powell.
whom he has slatched from the jaws OF
death and made . drug hend of-has give.
Durand his congo as physician and asso-
c-ate Lut ere he goes upon his WY Durard.
the king Of diamonds. q the thief world
knows him, Will have the diamond. Out
side, disguised as a workman and hiding
ia the shrubbery, is DuranGs one faithful
ally, De NauX. the jackal, the knave OF
clubs of Z" the pack Durand has tempered
with Vivian. but he does not trust her
Nor does Duraud fear Blair. nor even
John Powell. The millionaire once he has
The diamond in his hands and safe away
Duraud has lived too close - them all uot
to be aware that there are certain things
IL tAc lives OF the Two young Nirginians
that would make them avoid any too close
inquiry into their records. Everybody has
: past-geReraIIy Dad one" said a cynic
philosopher
What John Powell has done in the days
he was arthur Stanley = 1rand has not
known nor cared. Whatever il is il Is
enough that once he, Durand. has the great
diamond no legal process to recover il viii
Be dared 50 while the card games for high
stakes without limit are al its height Du-
rand defty takes occasion TO sift a sleep
ing powder into the glass Of John Powell
whose tongue is thick ana whose taste IS
deadened with his indulgence with wine
The game breaks UP, owing to the sleepy
languor Of the host, who is led away, and
the others retire shortly afterwards. But
Vivian has betrayed Durand to Blair. She
knows Durand well; she knows once he has
the diamond it VIII be taken abroad IL
Holland and sold and discovered.
Hiding in her room after midnight Blair
and Vivian hear Durand creep down the
hall They give him time 10 enter and 10
work in the room Of the druGgad and I'M
conscious master OF the house Then ON
noiseless feet the desperate Blair steals
in upon the king of diamonds. Unseen. un-
heard. Blair creeps behind Durand in tho
semi-darkness of ArthUr's room As the
ARCHITECT prizes open the cabinet
Duraud has the diamond and n1oa-s n,.s-
out word Blair deals him a olc.y vim All
his strength with the sIungshou he carries
The blow glanCes, and Duraud no rasa,,
antagonist even for the --
closes in upon his assaiIant They CURSE
and sway and struggle. Blair held too
closely by Durand to give fun wing o.,
his deadly weapon, rains blow after blow
upon Durand at short range. The costly
furnishings OF the room are overturned
and shattered.
Arthur IS reused by the struggle from
his drugged sleep. ana rises id.
aycd. from his bed Vivian. IN trernor or
anxiety in the doorway switches On tn.
lights full and bright. At the light Blair
rises to a frenzy of murderous activity
lie seizes Durand by the throat. his weapon
arm now free, and brings the sIungshot
down with sickening force upon the slxuii
OF the bleeding Durand. and 49, casts the
battered king of diamonds with a
mighty effort Back. flung like a sack. the
archthief weak and stunned. fails AGAINST
the low, wide window and through fr down
the sheer height to the lawn below. strik
ing fun upon his guilty. shattered head.
his neck But he has carried Wiz,
him TO his death, clutched with a grip Blair
could not loosen. the diamond from ms
sky.
As Durand lies broken and Il upon
the ground moaning figure crouches over
him in the shadow. A hand wrests the
diamond from the relaxing grasp OF the
dead swindler. there is a thuddins of h,lr-
riec feet across the lawn. and the watcher
is gone. ana with him goes the diamond
from the sky,
ITO BIZ CoNTNUEDl