davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07
SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAP
Terra

A feud has existed between Colonel Ar
thur Stanley and his cousin, Judge Lamar
Stanley. over an heirloom. the diamond
from the sky. found Ia a fallen meteor by
an ancestor. Also. the succession 10 the
Stanley rid tn England may come to
an American. When a daughter r. born
To the colonel and the mother dies. lire
colonel buys a gypsy boy and substitutes
him. Three years later the gyps mother.
having had no part n this bargain. steals
the gky being reared In secret. and leaves
her ron undetected - the heir. The gyp-
~ has obtained possession OF the Hammond
from the sky. and a with the
Stanley secret. when Esther II grown a
beautiful young girl. IIagar, now gypsy
queen. returns TO Virginia with her. DIR.
Lee. the late Colonel Stanlcy's friend.
adopts Esther. but demands that Hagar
turn over 10 him the diamond from the
sky Arthur Stanley. son OF Hagar, falls
Ia love With Esther and so does his COM
pSnion and cousin. Blair Stanley. rightful
male heir OF Stanley. In stealing the dla-
mond Blair causes the death Of the doc
tor. Outside Is Arthur sercnading Esther.
Blair. escaping. infers that he has left
Esthsr's room. Arthur forces him to
night = duel In which Blair is only
He tries. with the aid OF his
mother. to place the blame for the murder
of DR.. Lea upon Arthur. who now has the
diamond The sheriff attempts to take
Arthur, but he eludes his pursuers and
joins Hagar. who reveals his identity and
upbraids him for his Wild life. Needing
money, he pa wns the diamond ia Rich
mopd- Blair 10 in Richmond and he. TOO.
10 forced TO visit the ~pawnshop. The two
agree to stand By each other. AT a ball,
1t which = ~supposed New York belle Is
the guest of honor. they are stunned to
mad the diamond on the visitor She Is
IN adventure ass who has borrowed IL
While Hagar IL telling the bellies for
tune Luke Lowell. Hasars gypsy guard.
stDAls the diamond and to avoid detection
dr0ps IL into a mail box A sheriff tries
TO arrest Arthur on the murder charge.
He escapes from Richmond on a freight
train The diamond passes into a mail
bAx. which IL lost from a wagon and 10
ptcksd UP b. Quabba. an organ grinder.
ouabbA's monkey steals the diamond and
leaves Il tn n nest la a tree. Arthur Is
robbed BY hoboes. who leave him In tat
tsru- He seeks work at a farm. Hagar
takes Esther 10 live at Stanley hall. An
old time tournament Is held. Arthur at
tsodb In disguise. proves himself the best
knight. defeating Blair. but Is betrayed
BY tie latter 10 the sheriff. Quabba. In
1est handouts the sherif and Blair.
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

SN' ~
as Arthur suddenly wheeled his horse
and drove II 10 the far end OF the
grand stand and up the lower stairs
and right in among the spectators.
When the horse reached the center
aisle. the crowd in panic breaking the
seats and benches as they gave way
before horse and rider, Arthur turned
the gallant Starlight up this central
passage. waved to Esther and HagaI
as he Numbered by, then, ~breasting his
horse at the back rail Of the stand. be
plunged with Starlight down from til.
back OF the stand to the ground. some
fifteen feet below.
Never had such a wild feat OF horse
manship been beheld Ia Fairfax. HON,
OF Wild riders.
As with one accord the panic passed
and "A tumult OF curiosity succeeded
Men and women who had shrunk n
alarm from the hoofs reyerberatin.
through the wooden ways OF the CRANE
stand now rushed in one accord UP the
aisles and over the benches and In
wonderment beheld steed and rider
the dizzy leap made In safety. disap
pearing I'm the distance.
Anon those who had rushed up til,
aisle We're Mrs. Judge Staniey's party
and TIagar and Esther. AS the gallan
horse and rider disappeared I'm a clou,
Of dust down the road Vivian Marstoi
turned and. with !acaving breast ant
haShin. eyes. openly voiced her az
miTaIiou.
There IL u man" she cried. who &
worth 4 woman's While"
Esther shrank back ut the words
spoken. aS 1, seemed. TO her. She felt
n chill 1T her heart. and from that mo
meut she realized that this woman had
crossed her path in lif. and Arthur's
like some haleful and yet beautiful
serpent.
The mounted knights charged through
Tie gateway in pursuit. The sheriff
tossing the key Of the handouts q
Blair. had gained his horse and had
followed after the pursuers.
Shielding and hiding the dangling
handcuf a. est he conld. for III his
nervousness h. could - open the lock
upon his wrist. Blair cursed Uuahha
the %-rinning hun"hhack organ grinder
aEd reipinei his mother and her
friends.
He had looscned the handcuff AT
last. but the knocking Vivian had IN
sisted IL lie retained rs n souvenir If
what she termed the leap of the white
knight"
SO ended the last masked tourna
ment OF the knights OF Fairfax. and
the excited dowacers and mailens
were driven a. their homes recountin.
the exciting ent OF the day. while
their husbands. brothers and fathers.
who had come on horseback. were far
on their way In hot pursuit Of the
fugitive.
The day had been too much for Mrs
Burton Randolph's poor nerves. as
she expressed It. She regarded her
Fairfax relatives with ~smoidering ami
mostly.
What had the Fairfax Stanleys done
but break up her ball IN Richmond with
a shameful attendant notorisry! And
nov when she had come to Fairfax to
forgot smother horrid contretemps had
occurred TO further rack her already
shattered nervous system.
She resolved TO return to Richmond
,nd see seciusion and, II possible, for
Retfulness there.
Some twenty miles away the Monu
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

The excited crowd watched the titan
struggle of the cenfaurs I'm tense 81
lence for a brief moment, but above
the sounds OF struggle o the hoarse
voice Of the sheriff as he struggled ex-
citedly to loosen himself from the
handouts with which the tricky Quab.
ba had bound him to Blair.
On his part Blair held back, a
though the steel manacle on his wrist
was q prophetic stigma
The bold eyes Of Vivian Marstou
were directed Ia frank admiration 10
ward the superb fsats OF horsemanship
and strength Of Arthur's efforts.
Fascinated also as they watched the
struggle below them. Esther and Ha-
gar had forgotten the sting Of the hu-
initiation they had been subjected &c
In being snubbed and ignored by Mrs.
Lamar Stanley, her cousin. Mrs. Ran.
dolph, the society header from Rich
mond. and Vivian Marston just at the
moment when Arthur as the masked
victorious knight had come 10 crown
fair Esther.
A wild cry rose in unison from the
crowded stand. and men. women and
children arose e~xcitedly and shrieked
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

cello hunt was riding to hounds. The
Monticello hunt, q rival social organ
ization Of the next county, made 1t a
point 10 hold a fox hunt always upon
the day that the elite Of Fairfax coun-
ty held their masked old time tourna-
ment. II you were socially prominent
In Monticello you must consider that
no such thing - the Fairfax tourna-
ment ever took pace. In turn. b old
families of Fairfax likewise ignored
the Monticello hunt with its throng Of
fox pursuers-
Arthur's daring and dramatic escape
had given him considerable lead over
his p~ursusrs- This lead he increased
considerably. and he had quieted Star
light u Il less strenuous PACE on an un-
~freqGcA.el road some fifteen miles
froA Fairfax when lie beheId the Aion
ii clio hunt in fun cry after a wary
old dog fox crossing the fields some
several hundred yards ahead. Starlight
was an old fox hunter.
Reused &c renewed lie and his IA
tigue passing from him IL tie baying
OF the hounds and the crying VI the
huntsmen. .irthur's 10 longer jadeI
horse turned briskly from the road and
made after the chase.
Arthur let Starlight follow his bent.
noting that the way he was taking
across the fields was n shorter route
20 the safety and shelter Of the Smith
farm.
\ small colored boy driving Il frac-
tiouS zig beheli with much interest
and the horse join ia the fox chase as
he had drawn to the side of the read
to lei Arthur pass.
TIE colored lad had been nearly
bowlcd over 10y the hunt stirred Star
light when hat eager animals legs
had encountered the rope which was
attached TO the hind leg Of the frac-
tious pig.
Just ahead Of him, In n hollow 1T the
bottom OF the field by a sunken fence.
Arthur beheld the last of the hunts
men make a leap upon his horse. only
TO come a nasty cropIier ana 10 lay In
a huldled heap. strangely still. against
a storm felled old tree.
The hunters horse stopped with an
abrupt jerk Is the fallen reins caught
Inl held him tightly by one Of its
gnarled branches
Arthur rode over and dismounted.
The hunter was dead. his face bruised
md d~isfiyured where 1t had struck the
oc. breaking his neck.
Then Arthur remembered the colorcd
roy with the pig ami The pursuit that
le had outdistanced. The colored boy
would tell which way lie had gone.
he had been a fool 10 leave the high
way.
Then a wild idea seized Arthur. This
nan was dead aud beyond all aid. He
lurriedly changed his coat. with Its
White scarf, aud his plumed hat for
he red hunting jacket aud velvet cap
4 the dead fox hunter
Then. engaging the bride OF Star
light 10 the gnarled limb from which
ie had released the dead hunters
Iorse. he changed his mount and can
cred away.
When Sheriff Swain aud his posse OF
o%urnanlent riders reached the scene.
lirected by the colored boy with the
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

borne away. And the breach is wider
yet between. Fairfax and Monticello in
consequence.
The next day Hagar has a visitor ut
Stanley hall. Ii Is Detective Tom
Blake Of Richmond, and he bears with
him a curious fiat portfolio OF curious
photographs. He aud Hagar examine
these curious photographs ia the libra
ry at Stanley hall, leaving Esther upon
the broad piazza. innocent of any
gypsy woman IA the astute private
detective Hagar employs.
But b photographs are vital things.
vital especially to Blair Stanley. for
they hold the evidence that proves him
guilty OF the murder Of Dr. Lee.
For the photographs are the %telltale
reproductions or Blair Stanley's finger
prints. Some We're made 10y Blake
from impressions he found on the ri.
lied cash box and the dead doctors
throat, and one other is the reproduc-
ton OF the plain mark of his ink stain
ed thumb, stained by a leaky fountain
pen, made on the bad check lie passed
on Abe Bloom. gambling den keeper of
Richmond.
The check has come back to the win
dictive. angry gambler marked NO
funds" and when Abe Bloom has call.
ed upon the Blake Detective agency TO
nil him rarnVnF fia nrnAr1nf ~ fhu
check the willy Tom Blake has In his
possession the convincing Identification
nc has . seeking the duplicate
thumb print of the murderer OF Dr.
Lee. the thumb print of Blair Stanley
The astute If not prescriptions de
tcctive i working only for his client.
Iiagar Harding. who pays him we'll.
There is no reward offered for the ap
~prchension Of Blair Stanley or any 9th
or man save the innocent Arthur Stan
Icy.
Detective Blake knows that HagaT
will use the evidence he brings her in
her W time and in her own way.
II concerns him no further. for the
present M least. and he takes his fee
aud returns to Richmond. strangely
enough. on the same train that bears
Mrs. Burton Randolph and Vivian
Marston.
Blair and his mother have returned
from the little station n Fairfax after
seeing their late guests 10 the train
Blair and his mother are az dacgers
drawn. lie asks that she give him
money and let him 60 upon his way In
The world. a. he wishes 10 leave Fair
fax and never return.
you have been under enough evil
influences in following the promptincS
~ yonr WI unfortunate ways. says
his mother coldly. This Nivisn Mars
ton cannot deceive me for a
And rs she seems to have also com
plcteIy deceived and infatuated You.
You shall have no money OF my saw
ing to waste upon an adventures"
Blair made no reply. but inwardly he
felt wild curses mounting 10 his lips.
and he flung himself In the house.
leaving his mother alone on the porch
ere he might utter them
But be was resolved to leave Fair.
fax. and he was resolved 10 again see
and regain the favor OF Vivian.
There was no time like the present.
was his thought. Blair went rapidly
up the steps and into the living room
On the second door. while his mother
remained IN bitter contemplation on
the piazza.
He nerved TO his desperate undertak-
Ing. He closed the door OF the living
room behind him He pressed the
spring. and the Tory hiding place"
behind the chimney opened
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

Taxing the heavy poker from the
fireplace that now was swung outward
into the room. Blair stepped into the
recess and closed the hiding place aft
or him.
Here he Lit a candle and f~uriousIy
pried al the old iron bound chest
where, among his fathers papers. his
mother kept the ready money which
she. ike her husband had before her,
lent u at heavy interest to such IN
fortunates as fell into her meshes-
when their security was good
At Stanley hall, after the departure
OF Detective Blake. Hagar ordered her
carriage. Il arr going 10 pay a CALI I
will not be long" was ali the informa-
tion she ~vouchsafed { o Esther. But
Esther knew that. whatever was the
errand hat called IIagar away. al
though a secret. 1t was one that was
for Esther's good.
Luke Lowell. who spent his time at
Stanley hall partly and partly as head
mai under Hagar al the gypsy rendez-
YOU some dozen miles away In a hid
den fastness Of the Blue Ridge. brought
around the horse and buggy 70 the
front of Stanley hall. AT this instant
a diversion was caused by the appear
ance or a hunchback organ grinder
h%urrying up the driveway.
Ii was Quabba. his monkey. shrek
in- with fright. clin=ing closely to his
masters breast. Behind them came
Sheriff Sam Swain on horseback. lash
Ing the unfortunate Quabba.
Ha-ar aud Esther both flew to the
rescue Of the poor hunchback.
He's lucky | am not chasing him
out II the county" explained the irate
sheriff. but for the trick he played
upon me yesterday | would have caught
Arthur Stanley. 10 you know what
this organ grinding monkey totinG imp
or Satan did:
Why. he handcuned me To Blair
Stanley. and Arthur Stanley, the muir
dercr. who had the nerve to come rid
in. nj the mask tournament, got away,
| could have this organ grinding scoun-
drel sen up for a year for interfering
with an officer in the discharge Of his
duty
II didn't mean any HARM" whined
Quahha. You were teasing ana jok-
in- with me-. saying you we're going 10
put the handouts on me. and | only
ioked with you and the other gentle
man in putting them on you and him"
Young Teller" said the sheriff inn
pressively. never joke with an officer
Of the law. IL Is against the peace aud
dignity OF the commonwealth OF Nir-
therein applyr' And. having delivered
himself Of this pseudo legal dictum.
the sheriff touched bis hat TO Hagar
and Esther aud cantered of.
Quabba was a wandering. solitary
gypsy or Italian stock. A word ia
Romany fell on his astonished ear
from the lips of the grande dame at
the portals OF this grand house, who
cared for at the kitchen Of Stanley
hall.
This done. Hagar was prepared TO
go upon her mysterious errand with.
as Esther noticed. the black fiat port
folio the strange mi from Richmond
had brought that day, when her keen
gypsy eye noticed hat the horse was
slightly lame.
Half angrily she ordered Lowell 10
return 1t 10 the stable. and after Low
ell. with the equipage and Quabba. the
latter uttering expressions Of his graf
itude. had turned the corner Of the
great house. IL am not going so very
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

far. 80 II doesn't matter II ! walk"
said IIagar and kissed Esther again
and went uT0p her way.
Little did Esther dream OF the strange
return this secretiye yet kind woman.
whom she deemed Der mother. was to
make to Stanley hall
Al Mrs Lamar Stanley's house that
austere woman sat upon her piazza
rocking and waiting for Blair TO re-
urn from inside the house. She had
more 10 say 10 Der son. and as she re
iectei upon the bitter pbrasing Of the
words she would speak her heart ached
duly.
What was the use? she kept saving
TO herself. What was the use. what
use the ambition. the cold. calculating
ambition that had darkened her life
and had caused the tragic death or her
husband eighteen long years ago?
What was the use to scheme and
plot and hope and hate for . bauble
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

fractions pig. they saw n fox hunter
IN his rcd coat riding away far off. but
AZ their feet lay. as ii seemed I'd them.
the body Of Arthur Stanley. killed 10y
z fall from the horse he had ridden SO
CALAMITY M the thrilling Fairfax torr
nameut.
Cropping the grass near 10y the lo-
against which seemingly his rider had
fallen. the bride rein caught IN a
gnarlei branch II the fatal tree. was
the horse that they all recognized rs
the very steed that had made the leap
from the grand stand. n leap loB- 10
be remembered In Fairfax.
That night while Arthur. who has
told all his story 10 Farmer Smith. II
being sent upon his way with hearty
yet sad farewells and expressions Of
godspeed by the farmer and his family
the body OF the dead huntsnan with
the bruised face Is borne into Stanley
hall.
With a wild cry Esther recognizes II
II not Arthur. but the s~ilencing hand
Of Haear falls upon her lips.
"A gypsy trick murmurs Hagar.
She yearns for the son whom she has
disowned. but all OF whose secrets she
VIII hold. let them find out his ruse
In all good time Hagar mutters 10
herself. 1T will give him the better
chance 10 be far and safely on bis
way"
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

against their former companion. Ev-
eryeody In Fairfax had loved Dr. lee
There was none who had been the
recipient Of his genial kindnesses more
than Arthur. Hence. when. to shield
Blair because he believed be had wrong
"a him In being the usurper heir Of Stan
ley. Arthur had by his dight and dis
appesrance accepted the onus Of guilt,
Gil Fairfax was In anger heat against
him.
Tha struggle OF the young horsemen
seeking to stay and capture the now
betrayed and unmasked Arthur took
blAce directly In front Of the grand
otand
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07
CHAPTER XIV.
stjsre Are the Proofs!"

ND Mrs. Burton Randolph re-
turns to Richmond Vivian
~ and Blair have quarreled- Wv
- ian realizes Fairfax viii be
dull while il feasts upon gossip that
will not interest her. She will return
10 Richmond with her friend
With a woman's ~prescience she real
ICES that Blairs mother inruitiyely sus-
poets her. So Vivian Marston thinks
il best 70 return TO Richmond too.
That night the Monticello hunt Is mi
nus a member. Inquiry and investiga-
ton bring some OF the huntsmen TO
Stanley hall. The dead nan is identi-
fed for the man he really Is and II
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07
CHAPTER XIII.
sThs Fox and the Pig"

~HE knights OF the tournament.
now ~frenziesi with excitement.
pressed on Arthur. effectually
barring his way 10 the gate.
These hot headed young NirginIans
had been the friends. comrades and nj
mirrors OF Arthur from boy hood mp. hut
the death OF Dr. Lee and Arthur's flight
had filed them with bitter resentment
Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1916-02-07

Far away a colorel boy. who had
been driving q pi- the day III. gentle
folk OF Fairfax held their Wanted
tournament. Is playing he l. a hunter
after eagles.
He has a wooden gun. this coIored
boy who herds pigs while gentle white
ok ride 10 tournament aud 10 chase
the fox. and with his wooden gun L.
plays a part IN the d~estinies Of those
concerned ia this strange story.
For beneath d war-ide tree he inds
n handful or feathers Owls up dar.'
says the mimic hunter. and be drops
the m r. wooden gun and climbs the
tree M owl dies fron Irs nest with
a Wy. IONS screech.
That evening an obscure negro ur-
chin. whose lot N l. that ~ must at-
tend 10 swine. leans over "A nOiSorDe
pen and bangles before an unapprecia-
tive pig. gorring al his swili, the dia-
mond from tbs skyI /.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-24
FAIRFIELD COUPLE
WE'D IN BLOOMFIELD

Fairfield, Nov 22.-John W. Conner
and Miss Florence Green of Fairfield
went to Bloomfield Sunday, ostensibly
to spend the day with the formers
brother, DR.. Harry Conner and family.
However, they were united In mar
riage Sunday evening, Rev. H. P.
Scoles of the Methodist church read
ing the ceremony.
The couple returned to Fairfield
Sunday night and as they had visited
at the Conner home in Bloomfield a
number of times before, their trip
was thought nothing more than an Or
binary visit. The bride reported for
duty at the Fair store Monday morn
ing where she had been saleslady for
several months past and the groom
went about his duties at the Baker mu-
sic store. 1t was only by accident
late Monday Afternoon that the we'd
ding was discovered by friends and
congratulations at once began to
stream in upon the young couple.
Mrs. Conner is one Of the most popu-
lar young women Of the city.
Mr.. Conner is the son of DR.. w. H.
Conner of this city and is a well
known and highly esteemed young
man. He has been associated with
the Baker music firm in Fairfield as
local salesman for several years. For
the present the couple are staying
with the brides parents. Mr.. and Mrs.
A. ]. Green on South Main street.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-24

Chronic diseases
Of all kinds are
treated and cur
ed by modern
methods. Elee-
trIcity and me-
chanical means
are used In many
cures.
Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-11-24
WITNESS FOR THE
DEFENSE ON STAND

Centerville, Nov. 22-The defense IN
the Frank Smith murder case got
some real comfort from witnesses for
the prosecution in building up it's the
DRY that Smith was insane when ne
shot Mrs. Alice Gerlach on the streets
of Unionville May 9 last. Henry Her
man, to whose home Smith went
after he had shot Mrs. Gerlach and
had failed to find his own family at
home, testified that after Smith told
him what he had done he asked for
drink OF water. When cupful was
handed him he looked at 1t suspicious
ly and then ordered Herman to get
him another and threatened to shoot
him If he didn't do 1t. This frightened
Herman, who concluded that Smith
was not normal.
Chester Rodgers testified that on
the day Smith shot Mrs. Gerlach he
told him he had been talking with his
dead boy that morning, the one who
had been accidentally shot and killed
by his grandfather, Samp Smith, some
three or four months before. This
testimony of these two witnesses for
the prosecution came out on cross
examination.
The letter which Smith had in his
pocket the day he shot Mrs. Gerlach
has been introduced in evidence. He
showed it to Elijah Smith, not a rela.
tive, few minutes before he shot her,
and said it was getting such things as
that which had made him make up his
mind to kill her and he was going to
do it before the day was over. A few
minutes later she came out Of store
across the street, he stepped to his
buggy, got his shot gun. accosted her.
got no answer and fired. The letter
he had was an unsigned one and read
as follows:
"You the following-had better go
and withdraw the evidence which has
implicated the following persons:
Frank Smith, DIN Swain, the Har-
rington family and Allan Hopkins and
certain ether people residing in Union
Vile. ,(You know what this refers toy :.
A certain person within one mile dis
lance has gun. And I will kill you
if this is not DONE This Is not a
bluff, but business
! Here followed the smear OF what
appeared to be blood on the paper.
No testimony has yet been introduce
ed to connect the writing Of the letter
with Mrs. Gerlach.
| Eye witnesses of the shooting in
Unionville and the doctors who exam
ined the body of Mrs. Gerlach said
they saw Smith driving away but not
in haste. His appearance was testi.
fed to as being somewhat out OF the
ordinary that day, a set determined
look which would lead one to think
he might have been drinking, or that
he was different from what he usually
was when sober.