Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-03-06

sheep herder In the next month and
take the stolen treasure with him and
make II the capital on which 10 found
"A great fortune In the bustling west
He salved his conscience with tn.
thought that when he had built Ut
John rowell's vast fortune he would
return the stolen money 10 the express
company anonymously.
Meanwhile Luke Lowell Journeys
eastward again. But he cannot trav
as Blair Stanley and other fortunates
with money travel. Luke Lowell re
TURNS by freight. But In the desert the
trainmen throw him from his place on
the bumpers and mock him as. bruised
to curse them as the freight train bears
them on.
Down the endless miles of railroad
track. across the dusty desert. he stag
gers. Blinded by the sun. choking and
burning with thirst and half delirious
be stumbles from the track and makes
his way. fevered with delirium. across
the trackless desert.
Then by a low growing mass OF
cacti something CLEANS before his nch
Ing eyes. CLEANS and dazzles him. Is
IL n vagary OF his thirst madness. or IL
IL the diamond from the sky. a for
tune within his grasp?
He lurches forward and snatches UT
the diamond from where the train rob
Der In his death agony from the pur
suing posses rifle bullets had cast It
But just as his grimy hand closes
upon the great jewel n brown lance
strikes him. In the ringing of the r..
yer In his brain he has not heard the
warning rattle OF death guarding the
diamond. But even in his delirium
the fevered brain ~ Luke Lowell knows
The thrust Of the brown lance
A rattlesnake has bitten him! With
n hoarse scream OF despair he con.
vulsively throws up his hands. The
diamond flies from his nervelcss grasp
and settles again In the dust Of the
desert twenty feet away. and Luke
Lowell pitches forward on his face In
his agony. giving himself NJ "a dead.
So. half conscious. John Powell
sheep herder. finds him. and 20 John
Powell bears him 10 his lonely camp
fire and succors and restores him.
Lowell Is able 10 moan his plight
Fortunately his rescuer has a flask Of
whisky and n canteen Of water. lie
dnuov ,ho haIF c,rg~touv pIa aud
whether the whisky or whether the
sturdy constitution Of the gypsy Is 10
he credited Luke Lowell T. brought
back from the in WIS Of death.
II IL n strange fate. the gypsy thinks,
when be can think coherently. that II
has been his destiny 10 meet the real
and the usurpjng heir Of Stanley and
10 clutch again the priceless Stanley
heirloom. the diamond from the sky
He laughs sardonically and then tells
Arthur. whom he now recognizes as
be recognized Blair Stanley. that just
a few days since be has met up with
the latter In Los Angeles
Il don't know whaf ~ had run away
for" growled Luke. but whatever II
vvls II bad been squared. FOR | found
oui be was going back 10 Richmond
But now that you have saved M life
Ia this God forsaken desert III DO you
a favor-a big favor ! know some
thing that the other StanleyS would
give MI they have 10 know. What will
you give me II ] don't tell them what
| know You didn't kill that old doc
tor. and ! know that some day o are
going back. What will you give me TO
keep my mouth shut"
John Powell regards with cold
scorn the wretch who thuS reluites
him. He knows what Luke would toll
him. Just nj this time John Powell
desires 10 buy the silence ~ tn rr-a q
erous and Hngrnfrful gypsy
Il have 800 that I m saved" IL
John roweli's reply. y never De
sire 20 te known again a. Arthur Stan
ley. But ! have reasons Why | do not
wish the secret you possess 10 bs
spread broadcast for the present Yor