Bismarck daily tribune., 1915-10-14

frock coat, silk hat, and q blacl
eravat. With cosmetic from vivian'l
vanity case lie darkened his visage ant
the. two, taking dress suit cases, witt
their own and such other attire al
struck their fancy, shut the spring loci
door on the bound and indignant pawn
broker.
With the passengers that took the
$40 a. m. train north was natty col
lege boy and bent gentleman Of mid
die age Of clerical aspect. evidently the
sollegian's father.
| Blake had stepped a few yards away
to get y view in the light Of the faces
Of a young married couple. leaving Abe
Bloom to scan the other passengers.
They didn't get on this train" splut.
tered MI. Bloom, "but l wish had
that young teller by the neck that
dropped cigarette in my eye from the
car window as the train pulled out"
"That young fellow" was Vivian
Marston.
/
In the gypsy camp the proximity Of
\ the Romany people brought no return
OF mental health to the afflicted Hagar.
In the trying days that followed the
devoted Esther would have given way
to despair, but for the cheering pres.
ence ana loyalty of her new and faith
full friend and servant Quabba. the
hunchback organ grinder.
Sedition was at work among Hagar's
tribe. Everywhere Luke Lowell was
whispering evil counsel. He had de-
tcrlnined to wrest the reins Of power
falling from the hands Of Hagar. Once
leader Of the gypsies,. be felt it would
'lean easy. thing toicoerce Esther into
marriage and, thus be assured of his
Romany kingship.
Hagar's wealth was proverb among
the gypsies. and while they loved Es
thef, they, listened to Luke when be
whispered to them that now that Ha
gar was bereft Of her reason her
wealth belonged to and should be shar.
VI w IuS CllUC. 81, .E .......,.-. y.
Quabba sought in every way to cheer
Esther. While Hagar sat In her van
moaning, and muttering for a child. a
son that none had ever heard had been
born. to her Quahba would, take Esther
for walks upon the mountains. know
Ing Hagar was safe among the gypsies.
attended by the elder women waiting
and watching faithfully near by at
such times.
The favorite spot where Esther and
Quabba daily climbed~to talk Of Arthur
and to wonder where he was and
when they would hear from him was
to. the mountains top. where a great
balancing rock swayed to the lightest
touch and had menaced the valley be-
low for centuries. 49,.
!, Upon such occasions they took field
glasses with them and would watch
the roads for miles away, wondering
if every distant rider were Arthur re-
turning to them.
Upon one such occasion Quabba turn
ed the glasses upon the gypsy village
In the hollow at the mountains foot
There was some excitement, in the
camp. Il, was evident The figure of
Luke Lowell on an eminence in the cen.
ter Of the camp could be plainly seen
The gypsies had gathered around him,
and it was evident Luke Lowell was
haranguing them to some evil purpose
Of his own.
Esther and Quabba ran down the
mountain, arriving breathlessly at the
camp, just in time to find Luke Lowell
leading the gypsies to Hagars van to
despoil It Of Hagar's supposed wealth
and divide it. For this Luke was to
be made chief Of the gypsies. king
where Hagar had been queen and
Esther princess.
When Esther and Quabba pushed
themselves through the circle of gyp-
sizes. Luke had brought out the sup
posed treasure chest from the van
without protest from the crazed Hagar.
It was a brass bound box. Of which
Esther had lately carried the key.
Esther had seen the box open and
had noted it contained only some pa
pers, yellow with age, These she had
not deemed it her province to examine
until Arthur returned.
But now she stepped forward, backed
by the active and determined Ouabba
and defied Lowell to open the box.
Il have the key!, she cried, produc.
ing it from her bosom. ''And you!" and
she turned an indignant glance upon
She gypsies-''if you have no respect
FOR your queen or for me and listen to
the words Of Luke Lowell | will open
the box!"
She did so, and as she did Luke
thrust his knotted hand in among the
documents as If searching for coins or
gems. He brought out bulky. tine
stained document, the seals broken. 1t
was superscribed, ITO be opened at my
death, in case my son. Arthur Stanley
"a. should prove unworthy of the stan
ley name"
Esther snatched at the paper. but it
vas open in Luke Lovell's hand, and at
y glance Esther and the sinister gypsy
both knew the Stanley secret.
Quabba struck with his dagger men
hclngly. and Luke surrendered the pa-
per to ESther'S eager prasn put ho