University of South Carolina Libraries
4KX Copyright, 1913, by A novelirstion of the photo play < faltUd to th? scenario department of onteat during December and January, erne from many sections in the Unite< es well as thousands of amataure toek This instalment of this romantic novel and absorbing narrative will be shown in motion pictures at The Casino Theatre on Thursday afternoon CbUU Ui^Ilb. 1 1 ' 1 i $10,000 For 1,000 Words or Less For an Idea For a Sequel to "THE DIAMOND FROM THE SKY" The American Film Manufacturing Comoanv's PielurizoH Romantic Novel In Chapters. This contest is open to any man, woman or child who is not connected, directly or indirectly, with the Film Company or the newspapers publishing the continued story. No literary ability is necessary to qualify as a contestant. You are advised to see the continued photo play in the theaters where it will be shown to read the story as it runs every week, and then send in your sutftfestion. Contestants must confine their contributions for the sequel to 1,000 tttords or less. It is the tdea that is wanted. SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. A feud has existed between Colonel Arthur Stanley nnd his cousin. Judge Lnm.n* Stanley, < or an heirloom, the diamond from the sky, found in a fallen meteor b\ ; stn ancestor. Also, the succession to tin Stanley earldom in England may come to . an American When a daughter is born to the colonel nnd the mother dies, the ; colonel buys a gvpey boy and .substitutes him Three years later the gypsy mother. ! having had no pari in this bargain, steals j the girl, being reared in secret, and leaves her son undetected as the heir The gypsy has obtained possession of the diamond from the sky. and a document with the j Stanley secret. When Esther is grown a beautiful young girl. Tlagnr. now gvp?y i queen, returns to Virginia with her. D?- \ l.ee. the late Colonel Stanley's friend, i adopts Esther. but demands that Hagar i turn over to him the diamond from the | sky Arthur Stanley, son of liagar. falls in low with Esther and so does his companion and cousin. Rlair Stanley, rightful male heir of Stanley in stealing the di.\ <><<11 1.1.in uiii.m's me iic.'mii <)i ino doctor. Outside is Arthur serenading Fsther. . Blair, escaping, infers that lie has left ' Fsther's room. Arthur forces him to tight a duel in which Blair is only stunned. lie tries, with the aid of his mother, to place the hlanie for the murder of Dr. Lee upon Arthur, who now has the I diamond. The sheriff attempts to take Arthur, hut he eludes his pursuers and joins !Ia?vir. who reveals ids identity and upbraids him for Ids wild life. Needing nmnev, he pawns the diamond In Richtnond Blair is in I' Tnond. and he. too. ! is forced to visit 11. i.iwnshop At a hall, at which a stippos' .1 New York belle u> the guest of honor, they are stunned to find tlie diamond on the visitor She is art adventuress who has lac rowed it While Ha gat is telling the belle's'' for- j tune Luke Lovell. Ilagar's gypsy guard, rteals the diamond and to avoid detection drops :t into a mail box A sheriff tries to an est Arthui on the murder charg" lie escapes Iron. Richmond on a freight train The diamond passes into ti mail bag. picked up by Quahhu. oigan grinder (Junhha's monkey steals the diamond and leaves it in a nest in a tree Arthur seeks work at a farm Ilagar lakes Father to live at Stanley hall. An old time tournament is held Arthur at tends in disguise, proves himself the best knight, defeating Blair, hut is betrayed . by the latter to the sheriff By using daring horsemanship Arthur escapes. Laici he leaves the farm Tom Blake, a do- 1 tectivc hired by I (agar, produces fingerprints proving Blair guilty of the death wf I>r Lee. Ilagar proposes silence to Mrs. Stanley as the price of llagar s and Father's being received in Fairfax society I Blair strikes down Ilagar and steals the' fingerprints, and money from his mother I The diamond is found by a negro boy and , Is tnl/en bv ?? Irimx 't'i ? - - ... 41 11 11>. iii*r liiin*r in murdered by Hung Id It stolen Just as a slumming patty enters Huns Li's den i Hagnr. mentally unbalanced by Blair's blow. Is again with Rather among the ! gypsies M alma duke Sinythe, lawyer, arrives to announce Arthur Is heir to the deceased Rarl of Stanley. Learning At - i tliyr is a fugitive he seeks Blair instead To win Vivian, Blair steals the diamond, ! later ma trying her and leaving for the wvtst Arthur tries in vain to warn their train of Impending robbery. Luke revolts ' against Hagnr and is driven from camp. 1 Tie leads tramps against the cnmp, ami j CJuabhn. to save Esther .and ftngar, loos- J ens an avalanche on the camp. - ? ' CHAPTER XIX. Old Foss With New Feces. AFdFLICTKD as lie was with hta deformity. Qunbba, the hunch-1 l back?he of the sunny face and i happy heart?was as agile and etnewy.a* the monkey Clarence, hie companion on hie way through the ~ world. But now the hunchback la! neither stint) j of face aer .chappy of ~ heart. A wild tremor of fear, anxiety end remorae ahakea him In an ague of terror and confusion. Sending the rocking stone, pried from file perch where It had swayed for cen~ Br JIOIT L. Mfc CLARDBJLL ' 'Roy L*. P cCard*tt lolectod at tli? best in over 19.000 subthe Chicago Tribune in a $10,000 prise The manuucripts in this competition J 8tates and Canada. Authors of note part. turles. hod only meant dentil for all lielow. thought Quabba. Instead of Having his young and old mistress ami his gypsy friends from the raid of desperate tramps led by Luke Lovell. Quabba now deemed tlint he had destroyed those he had loved, as well as their enemies. But as he ran panting down the mountain side Qmtbba saw that some of the gypsies, warned by the clatter and roar of the landslide the massive. hounding. loosened rocking stone had started, had fled to safety. He saw some half score of gypsy men and women toiling rapidly up the opposite slope of the valley from the destroyed gypsy camp. Through the dust that was settling in a cloud over the dchris and ruhhle where the camp had stood the straining eyes of Quabbu could mark the ragged figures of some of i lie assaulting tramps limping away from the scene of destruction, as bootloss as th*v had come. Then as lie ueared the scene the an guished Qunhhu could mark that the fleeing gypsies had paused halfway up the opposite slope and had nerved themselves to return to their submerg ed. annihilated camp. With an aching heart and a great burning sense of re-, proacli for his rash deed that had worked such ill when lie had meant but good, tjuahba could sec that lCsther and ilagar were not among the hysterical gypsies returning to the scene of destruction. When Quabb.a reached the heaps of stone and wreckage that had been the camp site hi1 found the gypsies already gathered iii a group to where 'lie 'an of Ilagar lay overturned and hail covered by a mass ol rocks and earth Then his heart beat again with joy as lu> hoard t i i > vnien <o Ions. .vol bravo for :i 11 t lint, issue from beneath the v;iii. "If you are friemls. save us." was Esther's er\ Strong j and willing Mauds lore at the heaped up rock and ruhhle. and siraiued and lilted at the van. Soon the van was raised from over i the ?*nvi:y its very overturning had made There was Esther and I lagar. trembling but unhurt save for a iew minor seratebes and bruises, but iu the bottom of the cavity lay the bulky form of Luke Lovell, stark and still. Kindly hands drew llagar and Estiler out and C^iiuhba fell tit their feet, uttering incoherent self accusations mingled with equally incoherent thanksgivings. A kindly hand threw I a coat across the inanimate face and form of the gyspv outlaw. Then comedy succeeded tragedy. The shrill, chattering cries of Clarence, the monkey, were heard voicing his simian f?.; .O.* ..... I < - i > i.mi mini uiuii; ii<i i juii \\ 1L 11111 \ lie l Villi. The mercurial gypsies turned from sighs to laughter, ami even the wan lips of List her wore wreathed in a smile as tjuabba cried excitedly, "1 am coining. Clarence, my son!" and so say iug lie wrenched open the shattered window of the van and the frightened monkey leaped into his master's anus and begun chattering his thanks aim joy The saving of gypsy lives was due to the providential fact that the onslaught of the marauding tramps led by Lovell had driven the gypsies from the dangei /.one where the avalanche of stones and earth had struck the camp. How many of the invaders lay buried beneath the settled landslide ike philo sophical gypsies neithei cared no: sought to ascertain. It was later found that Luke LovoM evidently laid been only stunned and not killed, its was at tirst supposed. For when the gypsies returned, after making rude shelter tents awa,\ from the rubble of the landslide for Esther, Hague and theii children and women folk, no trace of Lovell could be found. lie had recovered consciousness, it was evident, and had stolen away, fearful of the vengeance of his former Romany associates. (piahba deemed it best to keep secret the fact that he had been the genius of the landslide. It had Immmi a fatal success He affected the philosophy of the gypsies in the mutter and agreed with them that somehow good had come out of the general destruction, even if it were only their riddance of the unscrupulous Luke I/ivell and his ruffian rabble, the tramps. Acknowledged as their princess and reigning over them as regent for the afflicted Ha gar. Esther appointed a head man from the gypsies In the place of the deposed and banished LOVPII >t\/l PAtlIPn/i/1 M > - - ? V ?<i x* ?? SI 11 UO^U I 1 11IJ Quabba to Stauley halt, which was still lietd by Hagnr on the terms of lease she had taken from the receiver in bankruptcy for the fugitive Arthur Stanley, still fleeing from justice, wrongfully under the onua of being the murderer of Dr. Loe. Luke Lor el I. when he recovered consckmsues*. drew himself from the hoilow beside the now righted ran. He had no Intention of endeavoring to rejoin such of the tramps who had attacked the camp with him and might hare escaped unhurt from Qnobha's % THE HO KEY HERA mMMflkn K^r:' i ' Hagar and Esther In Their Overturned Van When the Gypsy Camp Is Annihilated. : land slide. Luke stole away unobserved, and his one thought was to make ids fortune ; from his knowledge ol' the Stanley ( secret?the knowledge he had gained from n glimpse at the document In Ha gar's strong box. Luke Lovell realized at last the source of the dead Matt Harding's gypsy wealth that now was llagar's. and which since llagar's sud den allliction no otie knew the hiding i place of. One thing Lovell felt sure of was that this wealth had not decreased under llagar's stewardship while sane. Wherever the treasure was It was mu in llagar's brass bound chest. Only documents were in that chest, buttlic.v were treasures of themselves. For ?>ne of those old papers especial Iy had sot forth plainly the fact Hint i llagar's long dead husband. the1 greedy Matt Harding, had traliieked ; with the groat folks ol Fairfax in hiown flesh and blood. Hero was a for tune to be obtained by himself, as it had been obtained by Matt Harding. Luke Lovell thought. And he limped away unseen from the destroyed gypsy camp and tkudged resolutely to Fairfax, some eight or ten miles away I "If you have any secret to sell take it to some othor market!" 1 There wt'.s ikj one :it Stanley hall to pay hi 111 lor keeping or tolling the Stan ley seerel. hut. Luke l.ovell knew j enotiuli of the Stanleys und their leads 1 to realize his best market would he i i with I'dalr Stanley's mother. If Arthur ' Stanley, so railed, was Ha^ur's son. a j kji'n.y ugcimg. tm?ii Blair Stanley I ' was the real lieir to ll?e Stanley earl j dom. to which, according to the old family tradition, the licit* was coin \ inamled to carry the diamond from the! , sky. lint at the portals of the home ofj ! Blair Stanley's mother the proud, cold | widow would hold uo tl'UlHc with the sinister gj'psy who clamored at her ' threshold with a seeret to sell. She or ! dered him to be gone and professed no interest in the ware he hinted he had for sale. Ellen Stanley was, hi ber austere way, as unscrupulous tu ber family miuJ hit ion as even her husband, the grim. ' cold Judge Lamar Stanley, had been. , ! Bntsbe would have no traffic with such | as Luke Love*. She realised only too ! well that once such a creature had her I in his power, even as a eonrtdant. his dominion would be, as is always the dominion of the Ignorant, brutal and Intolerable. So Blair's mother dismissed the chM' I grined gypsy in coid disdain. She would I be no confederate and yet the victim of I the exactions that she Instinctively knew would follow any association U>, CONWAY, s. a.. uitb any secret with litni. "If you have any secret to sell take It to sonic other market.*' said the Widow Stanley with ?^?ld hauteur. "Unless you leave my premises tills Instant I shall have you arrested and committed for attempted blackmail! Shout your secret from the housetops If you please. 1 am not concerned." But Luke Lovell. thwarted ami discouraged though he was in his first bold bid for the fortune lie bad believed was within Ills grasp, had no In outIon of shouting his secret from the housetops. He realized its ouly value was in his keeping it and being paid, and heavily, to keep It. He must llml some one who would pay?this some one would lie Blair Stanley, lie did not doubt. But if Blair Stanley's mother had refused to traffic with the sinister gypsy she was shrewd enough to surmise the secret that had liecome a living thing again after lying dormant for eighteen years. Why had her'husband set off alone ^o meet his death in the mountains the day after Colonel Stanley had died, eighteen years ago7 Why had !>r. 1-ee adopted the gypsy woman's d.iueluop ?? few mouths si 1100V Why l?#d this gypsy woman returned a ft or all those years, in the guise of a woman of means, and taken Stanley hall? Why had she come with proofs of Blair's guilt of the murder of I?r. Lee and proffered her silence in exchange for social recognition hv tlie proud families of Fairfax for this girl? And now that this gypsy woman was crazed and all fear of her son's guilt heing known had vanished for the time heing at least, Mrs. Stanley resolved to ;ake advantage of these situations as she suspicioned them If this girl was the real heir, the missing heir of Stanley hall, of which there had been vague whispers f*>r years, why not prepare for and fortify against any possible disgrace that might threaten through her son's rash and dreadful deed ? the murder of Dr. LeeV CHAPTER XX. Wealth From the Desert. MUS. STAN 1.10 V resolved to make friends with llagar's jL * JSL s?PI??sih! daughter. If Arthur Stanley, so cnl*-d. was nut the rightful heir. Blair Stanley was Ihit litis left the girl heir to Stanley hall, and all could he conserved and all he wel' If Blair might return and marry Ksth.t r. liven though 11 agar recovered her faculties, she must remain silent a - to Blair's guilt were he Kst Iter's husband, thought Mrs. Stanley. As for Arthur Stanley, so called, there was slight fear of it is ret tinting. The shrewd mother of Blair Stanley guessed now the true cause of Arthur's llight and continued absence, li was because lie ?iso had learned the Stan ley secret. At Stanley ball lOsther. made a worn an and resolute by all the tragic occur fences that of late had befallen her. resolved it was her duty to examine further into the documents in il.tgar's brass bound box. list Iter had en dcavored vainly to lift the cloud from Ilagar's mind by earnest inquiries and kindiy besccchings. But liagar would only moan. "My son..give me baeli my son, my little lathe." Then list her read the doctt::cats. The proof was plain. Site was in her rightful place at Stanley hall, tor she w?ts llsther Stanley. But she resolved through the love she hole for him site had known as Arthur Stanley, that sinwould take the secret to the grave She would spare Arthur the slum e she knew his proud spirit would fool. What to her were place and position hove in Fairfax unions a proud people who, so far as their women folk were eoneeruod had ignored her? Vet when we are .voting we have our hopes and dreams list her s h >pe and dream was the return or? Arthur. the sharing of the secret with lam. and his love. Then all would he well. So it was that l\stIter was not wholly surprised when Blair Stanley's mother called at Stanley hall and proffered her friendship and assist a nee. There were no confidences exchanged between them. list her suspected that Blair's mother vauuely knew, but in her loneliness, and having 110 friend save the humble though devoted Quale bn. list her was jjlad to accept the proffered friendship of her austere kins woman, though neither spoke of the tie. Ul .. ..1^ - - - 1 ? ! *.?*- fl- ? - i -v ^iriiin-jt 111<m i i.ignr in* taken to Richmond I'or treatment tor her mental a (Miction. She also insisted that Esther should go to Richmond and he introduced into the best circlet* there by Mrs. Burton Randolph. Jt may have been that Mrs. Burton Randolph stood in tear or her austere kinswoman, Mrs. .Judge Stanley?four that, was augmented by the fact that Blair's mother knew the true character of Vivian Marstoti. It also may have been that the sweet nature and beauty of Esther and her gentle breeding appealed to Mrs. Ran dolph more than her fears of Bhrir's mother. It always had been Mrs. Randolph's pet diversion to have a protegee. At any rate. Mrs. Randolph made Esther a welcome guest and protegee and assisted Biatr's mother in seearlug . U_ I ~w_ .41...- alU..U> - t .<1.1 ? -? A.. kur irnuiii^ miriu^i UiflllllUVlU IV trout llugAr for her mental Infirmity. Quabba hrtil Iwu left behind At Stonier hull, but Qnabba ??M|Hetoned that Rlulr'a met her was on old foe with u new face of friendship. An always. he reeolved to guard Bather and he followed her to Richmond. Mrs. Randolph had suggested to Blair's mother, when ahe found Mrs. Stanley desired her eon's return, to consult with that astute private detective. Tom Blake. In nettling the claims that were against the reckieea : Blair In Richmond. Blake effected u emiforeuce between Blair's mother and Abe Bloom the | | Hnqar and Ecth**r Arriwo ? 4 Stanley Hall With the Brass Bound Box. gambling house keeper, who b >ld the bad cho. k lor $2.<WH) he had cashed lor Blair, ami who was the m\>st pressing claimant against Into. At i Ids conference. although the accusation was not made. Mrs Stanley soon surmised that Blake and Bloom knew of Blair's guilt of the murder of I)r Loo It was from Blake and Bloom, through the agency of the inky thumb print on the bad eheek. that the guilt had hern established, his mother soon inferred. She also surmised that it was front this source llagar had obtained her twoofs. in her present rendition llagar was oblivious of sueli mallets now. Titr only two. then, in all the world who knew were the detective and the gam bliitg house keeper. it was not necessary to enter into any detailed arrangements. Mr. Bloom was sententious and explicit. "Von make good this bum eheek of your son's." he said, "and me and Blake won't say noMiing or cause your sou any trouble But there's one thing ese I've got to have this big stone which you aristocrats of Fairfax county mil the diamond from the sky. My brother ( Vivian Stanley Leaves Her Husband. advanced money on it, and even if lie hadn't that's my price for keeping my inotiHi sliut," he added, "and I'll see that Blake here says nothing neither." "But the diamond has disappeared. We don't know where it is." said Mrs. Stanley coldly, though in her heart she raged at the presumption. "It'll turn up?them big stones ?! j ways do. It's one of the finest in the I world, but that's my price!" retorted Mr. Abe Bloom. "If it ever turns up you Stanleys can replevin It. No one can dispute your title to it. There ain't another one lik<> it in the world. But when you Stanleys get it it comes to tnc! That's understood and agreed, eh, Blake 7" There was a Strang*. Im|>erturbahle gleam in the keen eyes of the detective, who hud maintained Ida usual taciturnity during this strange confer?... t... a. ft ft * ? rucv, uui uv uouuea ain nerni and answered quietly, 'Ye*, that's understood end Agreed." lieaehing Richmond, It bad been no trouble for Qoablxt, at hie old occupatlon ef organ grinder, to find the houae of Aire. Rttfton Randolph, where he knew Wethdf -was stopping in Richmond. He had J net reached the house and had Juat been ordered to move on by a (weeing policeman when a taxicab drove 'tip and RlAke and Bioom alighted and entered the Randolph residence. Tlila visitation was auch a wurprkae to the polieeman that he rendlly vouchi ml the information as to who these ln*dl vidua Is were when Quabba Inquired* Thorn JT said the pollOemau. Them's* two of the wisest guys in Richmond? Tom ltlukc. who runs the lilake doteelive agency. and Alie Bloom, the biggest gambler in tills bury. Maybe they aiv goiug iuto society." ^ * Then, ordering tjuubba to move on. again, lie moved on himself. tjuablm with Ills monkey and organ moved on. but only to the side of thohouse. A detective and a gambling house keeper? These were strange* visitors Indeed, and. suspecting the motives of Mrs. Stanley's sudden patronage of ICsther as lie did. Quublia squat* ted close by the low window of thoreception room and listened. He over-JI heard enough to realize that UlalrStanley's return was heiug arranged, and lie knew this boded 110 good to bls>' J fair young mistress. A ftiii* * Iwk /lid <wil it*4k iiti/1 tru vnftklmi lio<1 inri i ur nn r\ 11 ? r miiu ^ouimici ihiu . departed. Quabba sent IiIh ambassador' nud collector of external revenue, Clarence, the moiiUev.-np tbe wistaria vines. ~ to the upper chamber, which he surmised might be Esther's. He was right In his surmise. Esther,, who. like Mrs. Randolph, had wlth-^ drawn when visitors on private business bad been announced for Mrs. Stanley, was in her room. The chattering of the monkey on herwindow sill roused Esther from a reverie of Arthur, and with a glad cry she ran to the window and hugged theaffectionate little beast and waved a welcome to the smiling (Juahhn helow. Then t^nahbn laid his linger to Ida Mps^ as a sign of secrecy, yanked the string ^ to recall 11is ambassador ami departed. * * * * ? u > Reside the irack in the glaring Call- * fn?nia desert. Arthur Stanley, or. as. he calls himself. John r??\\ell. lay sjl stunned after being thrown from the Overland limited, which he had boarded from horseback .as the train had f '* panted up the grade In the "desert He had meant to warn the trainmen of the robbers lying in wait for t hem. * < but I bey bad imagined him a draper- ^ ado single handedly attempting a boldtip and bad thrown him off. His horse. as ;t|| horses he handled, loved him. The faithful and ntTeetinnate creature roused him by nosing ut tdm Arthur, half stunned, mounted his affect innate lour footed friend and galloped after the train. At the lop of . . ... ^ mo ^i';uU' lho ambushed robbers halt*-* I'd the express Willi an obstruction 011 the track Kmi ureal to be risked by the engiin cr endeavoring: lo pa-s through it. When Arthur arrived upon the scene two robbers were in the express c.?r ami two were going through 11lie I'ullinans. Anotlier had compelled the tiremen to uncouple thi' loi ou.ot i'? e and. covering the engineer, had made bun drive the detached machine up the V track some distance from the standing train. Scarce knowing what he did, Arthur galloped by and. mounr>nu the engine ?ui the end id the tender from Ins horse's back, grappled with the lone robber covering the erigii^'er. A desperate struggle followed by 1 be furnace door. Seizing a large wrem h. Hie engineer aimed a blow at the rob-A,, her stniggling with Arthur, but ilie blow missed foe and hit friend, and Arthur was stretched senseless 011 the tiring board. The robber, with a curse, jumped from the engine and ran, rejoining bis cotnpanioiis. In one of the l'ullmans Vivian Marston. who was now Mrs. Iliair Stanley? the two traveling as "Mr. and Mrs. tiny Peyton"?were among those heldat pistol's point. An envious woman V passenger lo w hom Vivian had shown, the diamond from the sky had betrayed the fact she possessed it. Itespito her pleadings, cajolements and even curses?curses that were ehornsed by the chagrined Itlair?-i ln? sim ^ Imts I tore oft the groat ^cm with their other I toot.V. Lotion with :i sack of t valuables, mill, taking nlso .Sion.nott in bank notes from the express tnessen- m "^ 1 Her. the robbers decamped. z Within a few hours the sheriff and ^ his posse of deputies and railroad detectives were hot on the trail, and ".John Powell." sheep herder, after bein lionized a few brief moments, was. 1 back at his lonely occupation. Vivian, despoiled of the jewel for Cik which she would have risked her soul. Jj reproaches herself and her rngiiig|t bridegroom that they did not die gloriously iu defending it. In Iter hitter rage Vivian taunts Blair by telling Itlni she only married him to gain the diamond, and. now that it is gone, he must go' and regain it or see her no more. In vain he protests. .She threatens to give liini over to the pollee mid deserts hlui at I.os Angeles and wires to Abe ^ Bloom in Richmond telling of the loss of the diamond and asking for funds. The deserted and raging Blair pawns what possessions the train robbers have left him. ami under his assumedname of Peyton hides in a mean hotel after writing to his relative. Mrs. Burton Randolph, to Intercede for Idm with his mother. Far off in the desert fastnesses the pursuit of the posse after the train robbers is hotly on. A shot and th?v^ rearmost saddle of tlie fleeing outlaws in empty. But as the outlaw fails the diamond from the Kky thut he baa r.|au<A/l - nit? *?? * ui Taniftnw flies from his now nervples* Irand and lien glittering hut unnoticed b.v a clump of cacti as the pome thunders by. Another shot goes home, and the foremost outlaw drops from his *?nk die. Another shot and bin rhlerletJrborse drops dead In its tracks Aa this horse falls the treasure sack with the banknotes falls half under the <!? ; tng animal. The bulk of Its prostrate body masks the treasure sack of banknotes and M