Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1915-10-07

Apples n 6arreJ aStavo to the Bent
Over Negro Lad.
whispered. And Blair, much as he had
longed for the baleful jewel himself,
now longed more for this woman.
II shall V rest till I get it for
your he replied fiercely. And he
would have kissed her to seal the con-
tract, but she drew herself from his
arms, and he knew that her caresses
were only to be purchased by the dia-
llond, he the price Of the diamond
lives, souls OF honor.
But the luxurious and vivacious Wv
ian was a practical person. She did
not depend upon the romantic, if DIES.
perate, efforts Of a lover alone to secure
foriher the star Of her desire.
She consulted the businesslike and
equallyseager brothers Bloom. To the
cape moutned Abraham and Isaac she
confided the romantic story Of the dia-
mond and the confirmation Of it's great
intrinsic value, which she had learned
from Blair Stanley and others while in
Fairfax. ~
1.-THE diamond from the sky, as they
call it, disappeared in Richmond, torn
from your neck by the hands Of an
unseen thief, the night of. Mrs. Ran
dolph's ball." said Abe Gloom. the, gam
bier. "The chances are a hundred to
one it is still hidden in this town.
Whoever stole it will want money. Oh
it. That's reasonable enough to as
sume. 1t will turn up"
ut hith enough to make a man put a
thine in hith windowth thaying High
eth Pritheth Paid For Big Diamondth
and No Qucstionths Affixed remark
ed Mr.. Ike Bloom, who lisped when he
was excited, and excited he vas when
he heard the romantic history Of the
diamond from the sky and its price.
But especially did its price excite him.
ut shan't thlip through my handth
again if l get hold Of it," he added.
Il wouldn't lent it to the queen Of
Thpain." And as he said this he gave
bis brothers 'lady friend from New
York, as he called her, a meaning
glance. !
"Let bygones be bygones!' Abe
Bloom snarled at his brother. "Vi
didn't lose it on purpose. / have tele-
phoned for Tom Blake, whom 1 con-
slider the smartest detective in this
country. TIe does what you pay him
to do and keeps his mouth shut. If
the diamond is in Richmond Blake will
find it."
In a few moments the suave and ret
icent Mr.. Blake arrived. Placed in pos
session of all the facts the Blooms and
Vivian could give him, he remarked
that he would do his best, and the first
and last meeting Of the syndicate to
find the diamond from the sky broke
up and the detective departed.
He was followed shortly afterward
by Miss Marston Of New York, whose
Richmond society friends would have
been shocked beyond expression did
they know she paid an occasional Sc
cret Visit to the establishment OF Abe
Bloom.
Meanwhile where is the diamond
from the sky? 1t is not a pearl to be
cast before swine, MOI is it fated to
remain the tinsel plaything Of a negro
lad who is a herder of swine.
In the frayed and dirty dress suit,
all the dirtier for its Jail stains, Mr..
Strap McGce makes across country,
cursing his luck. He pauses by a pig
pen to play a grim and intensely prac-
teal joke on a negro boy bent over
the sty. Mr.. Strap MCGEE picks up Il
barrel stave and applies 1t to the per-
son of the bent over negro lad.
Then MI. McGee notes the boy. in
sudden pain and fright, has dropped
some bauble plaything into the swill Of