The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1896-1929, 1915-07-29

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! Richmond at her summons and met
! her. It took but few inquiries with
! the means at Blake'S command to To-
! cate Blair Stanley, cutting a swath in
Richmond's gayest circles. It was with
| surprise Hagar learned, and a happy
surprise, too that Blair Stanley was
alive and seemingly uninjured the
while Arthur had believed he had kill
/ ed him.
Later in the evening Blake brought
her word that Arthur was with Blair
| under an assumed name and it was
! evident was going to the Randolph ball
/ With Blair that night.
/ On many occasions the thrifty Hagar
| had turned such fashionable functions
as the Randolph ball to good account
! She knew the idle rich welcomed the
diversion of the impromptu appearance
Of a gypsy fortune teller on such occa-
| sions. As gypsy fortune teller she
| determined to appear and confront Ar
! thur and get the diamond ere he left
| Richmond to make his way in the
world.
/ Meanwhile a fair vision was on the
threshold Of Abraham Blooms private
CLUB" This fair vision was none 9TH
er than the stunningly attired and viva
cious woman Of the world, Vivian
Marston.
Abe's Club" was on q quiet side
street. The supposed "New York So
ciety BELLE ran little risk of being
seen by any of Richmond's ''best soci-
| ETY. people" at in the afternoon as
she hurriedly passed from her waiting
cab into the double doorway Of the
clubhouse.
| Abraham Bloom received the SUD-
| posed New York society leader with
an astonishing air Of friendly familiar
lty Vivian Marston may not have
! been a society leader In New York.
as the rest OF Richmond supposed, but
it was true enough that she was a
gay New Yorker. and Mr. Bloom had
| met her there on more occasions than
one when he had visited the gay me-
tropolis.
surprised to see me in your town,
Abe:' asked Vivian gayly. "Wen, I
met one Of your society danes, Mrs.
Randolph at Palm Beach last winter
| made hit with her, and I am here
us her guest
''She gives that big blowout YOU hear
30 much about tonight 1 want to pick
up some rich guy Of Richmond and
marry and settle down among the
gouthern aristocracy. 1 have got pIen-
! " OF fine clothes, but I had to hook
nay ice In New York to get them and
| get here.
Il want to beg borrow or steal q
fine outfit CT jeweliy, and [ warr you
to help NE get the loan Of some. nm
less you get enlargement Of the heart
ard present it to me-
nix on that generosity stuff, vi Old
girl replied Mr. Bloom. business
| is bum. Ehere's no money IN Rich
| mond except the old Confederate bills
they printed here by the ton during
the wal. But [ got a brother who
runs hook shop
''And you and your brother catch
them coming and going" merrily inter
aected the New York society leader, SO
! called. After you break the hoobs
your hook shop brother gets their jew
elry."
Never YOU mind about that kiddo,' -
replied Mr.. Bloom aTably. TN give
you a note to brother Ike to lend YOU
all the ice in the refrigerator. He'll
fix you out with sparklers till you'll
look like chandelier"
The lady departed from Mr. Blooms
establishment with 4 compelling note
to his brother, the paWnbrokef The
best Mr.. Ike Bloom had i'll the shop
vas the diamond from the SKY. In
q fatal moment he displayed it to the
oDulent looking lady friend OF his
brother, Miss Marston OF New York.
aud that dazzled young person had
eyes for nothing else.
''That for NET she cried s'and moth
ing else. It would be a sacrilege to
wear anything else with THAR
DE very careful OF it." warned the
cautious Bloom reluctantly II don't
know where it came from, but when
you wear that know you are wearing
one Of the finest diamonds in the
vo..id!"
'"Ihey can't come too good for me,
MI. Bloom" said Vivian, as she gazed
cnraptuled at the great Jewel in its
antique setting.
That night Vivian Marston, in all her
luXurlaHt beauty; set Off as it was By
the diamond Of the Sky blazing on her
fair bosom, was the cynosure Of all
eyes at Mrs. Randelph's ball as she
stood with her hostess in the receiving
line.
Arthur and Blair gasped at her beau
ty but stared as if turned to stone to
see the diamond from the sky gleam-
ing on the bosom of this fair stranger
iii Richmond
HaGar, admitted as soon as her appli-
cation reached the hostess. happy to
have the novel diversion of real gvp-
sizes to tell fortunes at her ball, gasped
too, to see the diamond Haunted bold
~ by this dark, luxurious stranger
from the great city.
She thought Arthur had given this
bold faced beauty the diamond from
tie sky, and her heart again harden
ed to him.
Esther, dazZled by the lights and the
luxury. chung timidly to Hagar's arm
She had never seen the diamond from
the sky before nor had she ever heard
it's history.
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