The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1915-12-09

/
hay into the empty rack. Quabba gave
full measure of hay TO the pony. He
did not know that in the generous
measure of hay he showed down into
the rack there fell and lodged hidden at
the bottom Of the rack. just over the
manger, the diamond from the sky!
That very morning Arthur. distrust-
ing himself and suspicious of those
around him. had written a telegram to
Blake, the Richmond detective. OF all
with whom he dealt Arthur had the
most confidence in this astute and Sc
cretive confidential agent Of his Ar
thur also felt he could trust his Eng
lish butler. Parker. Taking advantage
of moment that he was alone, Arthur
had scrubbed the telegram. 1t read:
Answer at once. Is Esther Harding
in Los Angeles? Also wire condition of
Hagar Harding" The telegram was
signed with the name he was known
by in the west, John Powell He hand
ed this to Parker, who faithfully prom
ised he would send the telegram in Sc
cret. and he kept his word
When Blake received this strange
message he was puzzled, for he knew
| Esther had been in the west for sew
eral weeks. But he had learned of
/ Arthur's injuries and deemed that
/ Esther was kept from the injured man.
| For Blake knew. too, that Blair and
/ Vivian We're in Los Angeles. and he
! suspected them. Blake telegraphed
| promptly: Answering your wire. Miss
Esther Harding is in Los Angeles. Ha-
gar Harding continues to improve"
This telegram was delivered at the
Offices of the Good Hope Oil company
Blair, in charge, received all business
and personal communications in the
absence of the injured Arthur. Blair
opened the envelope cautiously at the
suggestion of Vivian, who was pres
ent. They were dumfounded for a mo-
ment, and then Vivian pointed to the
first line of the message. which was
typewriter.
There is a purple ribbon on the
typewriter over there she whispered.
at seems the same type of the machine
this telegram was copied on, in purple
also. If the word not were added at
Tie emu VI TIE uISL Int the IASSSdSc
would read:
Answering your wire, Miss Esther
Harding is not in Los Angeles. Hagar
Harding continues to improve"
"Vi, you are a genius.' cried Blair.
They placed the telegram in the type
writer, Vivian firmly struck the keys
and the entire import of the message
was changed. Then Blair carefully
sealed it in the envelope and sent it by
the Office boy to Mr.. Powell at his
home.
''That will convince him he is dippy,
for sure!' cried Blair. But he must
be pretty cunning at that to get tele-
gram out to Blake without Durand or
De Vaux knowing of it, for they watch
him like hawks
Since the diamond from the sky
turned up so tragically at the circus.
Durand has forgotten his patient" said
Vivian. Il believe Durand might have
been on the level If it were not for one
thing, diamondsr'
! He certainly is a bug on them" re-
marked Blair. Here Is all this bust
ness-millions at stake-and Durand is
content that l have full charge, and he
dues not question whether will cheat
or play fair when we divide All he
thinks Of is the diamond He would
sell his soul for a diamond, big dia-
mond like the diamond from the sky!'
t'Who would not?" murmured Vivian
81 have sold my soul. and you have
sold yours for the diamond from the
sky. And it has never rested In our
grasp.
"But it wilt" cried Blair fervently.
: ut belongs to us, TO you and me. / am
Stanley and the rightful heir, and you
are my wife As for that smooth
swindler. Durand, and his shadow, De
Vaux, the diamond from the sky shall
never be dirty spoil for them
You want to be careful and cunning
and daring. them said Vivian 81
know Durand of old. He goes through
blood and fire for diamond of price.
It is an obsession with him. He was
: born so marked. His mother was a
waiting maid to a French bankers
, wife and murdered her mistress for a
2 diamond necklace few months before
d Durand was born. He was born In
t prison.
, Hes likely to die there" remarked
Blair grimly. He had better keep his
hands off the diamond from the sky
And we had better get our hands on
! it." said Vivian. What witchery is
!. on it? 1t comes and goes like the
; devils talisman."
1T will only rest and stay with true
Stanley" Tnl1ffpred blair
Vivian regarded him strangely. but
said nothing. If this were true. why
: had the diamond from the sky avoided
Blair as though it were living thing
that wriggIed from his grasp
II Arthur was clay in the hands of the
conspirators again when the doctored
message from Blake reached him. Ar
thur believed now that it was true. as
those around him inferred-his obses-
| SIGN that Esther was near-was a
/ symptom of reeurrent insanity. He
shuddered and grew sick at the
thought.
/ ..Oh God, spare me from madnessi 2
he prayed in agony LET me recover
in body and mind to make man %
tayseff. to return to Esther whole and
sound ana clean and honorable as |
promised her and my poor mother
would
'Base. unworthy. proaigate as have
been, my gypsy mother sacrificed her
youth ana every happiness in life. aud