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szx I II " The Diamoi Fr By ROY L. Copyrighted 1915, by Roy L This instalment of this romantic novel and absorbing narrative will be shown in motion pictures at The Casino Theatre on Thursday afternoon and night. $10,000 For 1,000 Words or Less For an Idea For a Sequel to "TUIT M AIL# DIAMOND FROM THE SKY" ' I The American Film Manufacturing Company's Picturized Romantic Novel In Chapters. This contest is open to any man, woman or child who is not connected, directly or indirectly, with the Fii;n Company or the newspapers publishing the continued story. No literary ability is necessary to qualify as a contestant. You arc advised to see the continued photo play in the theaters where it will be shown to read the story as it runs every wca;, and men send in your suggestion. Contestants rr,us1 confine vheir contributions for the sequel to 1,000 bvoras or tcf*r. It is the teieci that is warned. SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. A feud lias existed I'd ween Colonel Ar- i thur Stanley and Ins cousin, Ju<i :o Lamar Stanley, over an heii loom, the diamond from the sky, found in a fallen meteor by an ancestor. Also, the succession to the Stanley earldom in England may come In an American. When a daughter is born to the colonel and the mother dies, the colonel buvs a gypsy boy and substitutes him. Three years later the gypsy mother, having had no part in this bargain, steals the girl, Esther, reared in secret, ami leaves her son undetected as the heir. The gypsy has obtained possession of the diamond from the sky, ami a document with the Stanley secret Years later llagnr, gypsy queen, returns to Virginia with Esther. Dr. Dee, the late Colonel Stanley's friend, adopts Esther. Arthur Stanley, son of Hugar, falls in love with Esther, and so does his companion and cousin, Blair Stanley, rightful male heir of Stanley. In stealing the diamond Blair causes the death of the doctor and tries later to put the blame on Arthur, who takes the gem. Arthur Stanley eludes his pursuers and joins Hugar, who reveals his identity and upbraids him for his wild -life. Needing money, he pawns the diamond in Richmond. At a ball, at which an adventuress, Vivian Murston, wears the borrowed gem, Luke Lovell, Hagar's gypsy guard, steals the diamond. To avoid detection . drops it into a mail box. Arthur leaves Richmond and goes to the west. The diamond passes into a mail hag, picked up by Quabba, organ grinder. Quabba's monkey steals the diamond. Hague takes Esther to Stanley hall. mm i-ii.iite, a u* motive oi icicnmona, who is hired by i'.-.gar, produces linger prints convicting Lk.ir. llagar proposes silence to Mrs. Stanley as the price of I-Iagar's and Kslher'g being received in Fairfax society, Blair strikes down 11:iKar and steals the linger prints, leaving the gypsy demented, llagar is again with Blsther among the gypsies. Martnaduke Smylhc, lawyer, arrives to announce Arthur is heir to the deceased Karl of Stanley. Learning Arthur is a fugitive lie seeks Blair instead. To win Vivian, Bl.iii steals the diamond, later marrying her and leaving fof the west. Their train is robbed, Vivian losing the diamond, which a slain train robber drops in the desert The $100,t)0U he stole is found by Arthur, now known as John Powell, sheep herder. Vivian deserts I'.lair, tolling him lie min t regain the diamond for hot. Luke Lovell. driven from the camp al'ter 'earning I lagar's secret, loaves to seek Blair, llagar is under treatment and Ksthcr is in Richmond society, protege of Mis Stanley, who suspects her leal name, and of Mrs. Randolph. Abe Bloom, gambler, who knows Blair's guilt, covets the diamond and calls it the price of his secrecy. Blair, at Richmond, instigated by his mother, pays unwelcome court to Ksthcr, Mrs. Stanley asserting Vivian had been married before. The diamond is picked up by an Indian woman. Dr. Lee, Artliur learns, died of heart disease. Becoming very rich he buys Stanley hull, sold at auction, through Blake, and also provides for llagar and Ksthcr. Luke Lovell buys the diamond from tlie squaw, but loses it in a fight on Santa Barbara bay. the gem sinking. Vivian, desiring aid to ensnare Arthur, sends for Blair. Esther and Quabbu. also Blair, go to the California mines to 8?vk Arthur. Smythe is sent west by Blake. Qunbba catches a tlah with the diamond, but a pelican bears it off. Viviuti Marston is rescued from drowning by John Powell, who Is infatuated by her. Smythe finds the diamond and gives it to Ksther to deliver to Arthur. Blair and I,uko go to the yacht In Arthur's absence and find Ksther with the diamond. To escape them she jumps overboard. Ksther and Qunbba escape while Blair *nd Luk? battle. Powell leaves Bos AnfslM and Ksther Santa Barbara, each headed for the mines. Blair meanwhile has joined Vivian In Ia>s Angeles. Bu rand, "king of diamonds," a crook known to Viirlkn, goes to a saloon near the netaaa In hope that he can learn the "whereabouts of the diamond. There he meets .Luke Lovell. Ksther, unknowlna tha ptaoe's character, steps In. Arthur appears on the scene. The diamond is los? in a melee. The roof caves In. I'nder it la Arthur. Esther saves him, badly injured, and he goea to Los Angeles in car? ?f the physician-orook, Durand. Ksther Jphowa and ia refused admittance to see i i'U. nd om the Sky McCARDEL . McCARDEL n>m. In the meantime Smythe lias hid tho diamond in a tree. There it is found by a child, who leaves it near a beehive. CHAPTER XXXIX. "The Soul Stranglers/* KNOWN as John Powell, the spectacular young oil and mining magnate, Arthur Stanley's meteoric career in i.os i Angeles had attracted considerable attention in newspaper and tinancial circles. All that was known of him was that he had been engaged in sheep raising, and it was generally supposed he was a Virginian who had come to the oil ticlds with some small capital and had made a lucky strike in the ciood Hope gusher. His impulsively generous nature and fiis magnetic personality, coupled with his youth and good looks, hud made riiiu a marked man in tho small business world of oil and mining men. in which he had in a few months become so important a factor; hence it was the terrible injuries that had befallen hint while inspecting his mining properties had been given much space in the t newspapers. The reports were meager as to just li?>w his injuries had been ; sustained save for the fact that his physician. Dr. Frank Dura ml. a stranger to Los Angeles, had by good fortune been with him at the time of the accident. Dr. i Minimi had stated to the newspaper reporters that the injuries sustained by Mr. Powell had occurred by the collapse of a building during a drunken riot at the Mammoth mine, which Mr. Powell owned. The papers also stated that Mr. Powell's business affairs would he looked after by Ids cousin and eastern business associate, l.lair Stanley of Jlichmond, who bad been summoned to I.os Angeles by Mr. Powell just previous to his accident. The papers made :i ill*;*m:itic* stor.v of the return <?f (lie youu-' millionaire to his new palatial home, his lirst iSi HP Arthur's Business Affairs Are Looked Aftor by Bla r. homecoming to :t. a crushed. shuttered, unconscious a:.d seemingly living man. And tlun tl.e accident censed to he a three days' wonder, and other sensti-i tSoitii| happenings and events of inter- i est supplanted it in the papers, and John Powell and his a (Tail's gave no further concern save to those who were personaUy interested. Anions these was a pretty young woman who lived tpiletly under the name of Ksther Harding at a modest hotel. F.sther. after her tirst rebuff at the portals of the1 Powell mansion, the day after the injured man was brought hneV. returned again and again and! was persistent in her detnauds to see the injured man. It was not as a timid pleader F.st her had come to the so ended Powell mansion on a last occasion. She was do tennined to see Arthur. Tactfully she had waited, with the watchful Ou.ib I " ~ "' % hit lingering near. until she had soon 1 >11 ru 11 cl hltd his shadow and nocom plice, tin* dapper Count do Vans. Ionvo ' the premises. Blair Stanley she knew ! was nt Arthur's offices, already taking charge of his affairs. Ksther was not afraid of tlwMti. col leotively or singly, hut she deemed it i host to encounter Vivian Mnrsloit. who i she learned was in charge of the sick , room alone. Ksther had no desire to ! bring notoriety and ruin perhaps upon ,! the injured man. known here in Los > Angeles as John Powell, by any pre , mature disclosure of his real identity if she could help it. Bnt she was determined to go even to this length were it necessary and were she further de, nied access to the one in all the world ?| she loved with every fiber of her brave THE HORRY HERA '' BT "^bEL EcjB ^^K9^^^B^D^H?MkK?kS^ |l& lE H|jpj| Vivian In Her Nurse's Costi>me. a lid loyal little heart. Some intuitive sense of Esther's at-j litnde must have impressed Vivian Marston. for she did not uphrnld the manservant. Instead she said. "1 will see the yonnj* lady." and followed the servant from the sickroom where Arthur lay stun (conscious hi restless fevered sleep. Vivian was in her costume as nurse, a masquerade she had assumed in furtherance of the plot against the help j less Arthur. She spoke as one ha vine authority. "You cannot come in here!" she said tensely. "Mr. 1'owell is at death's; door. Any intrusion or excitement would he his death." Esther faltered. Then the Stanley spirit asserted itself. "Hotter he die wiili a true friend l?v him than live with such as you and your associate* m'misieriny: to him!" she said scorn fully. Vivian Was rooi and kepi iter wjis. "That will he a matter for our friend to decide when he is aide to decide it. Will you believe me if 1 permit you to enter and you can see for your>eif that he is delirious?" Esther bowed assent. If her enemies for she knew they were enemies -were liuhtiajr fairly it behooved her . I* 1(1 lid i I > 1111JI 11. Arthur Iji.v with eyes closed, tossing in a fevered sleep. la ther knelt by tlic bedside, altd her hand caressed the pen bandaged arm neaie>: her. Her g'r/.o was upon the fevered, anguished conn lenanee of Arthur. She kept no heed ol Vivian, who passed by the foot of thei bed and look a small instrument from the table there. Then Vivian passed softly to the back of the bed between the injured man and the window. She laid a hand, as though soothingly, upon I he free arm of the unconscious Arthur. li was in this maimer tbe| two women the one w ho loved him j a' ovo all else and the one who love 1 him i?oi at ali- waited in the sileii e of the sick room. Then his eyes opened, and he saw her. -listher!" he murmured, "is ii you. dear'.*" "Yes," she whispered softly. "It i> Ksi her." He smiled and was ah nit to try to speak again. Then Vivian moved slightly. A lilm passed over Arthur's dark eyes. They closed, and he la\ oi <11 'CI. . . I.....- I11... 1 I.I :< .- 111. I IK- Mill? Ilillt'M 111 ill il,?<1111 I semiconsciousness. "You Mf, lie U very weak." sail Vivian <p:icily. " litis nice.in;; has been a shock to 11 iin. Is your i?i lor him s.? scllish that you wot:!! cause his death to yralify your desire to i ; rude further*.'" K-titer's fortitude ynve way. Art hut was sii wan she loured even now that t ho hand of death was on hint She rose 'to her feet and slowly left the room. followed by Vivian, who closed the door behind her. A heavy dread fell upon the heart of Ksther. With t lte aet it seemed to her that the doctor ad her hopes for happiuess with Arthur had closed forever. < 'aliens as Vivian Marstou was. tin -Tie'' ami heartache that the deep blue 1 1 -LULL* HI ? MMMMMMI I -^ ? <1 .-SMH&t ^ii' mmmmm?mmmm?mwmmmmmmmm?mim^^^amm^mmmmimm^amamm^mmm^?***'* i Esther Visit* th* Injured Man. ' steadfast eyes of Rather no poignantly expressed for a moment stirred some tender memory of youth in the breast of the worldly woman. "I am a trained nurae," she said, "and Dr. Durand la a notable pbyal LD, CONWAY, 8. O. clan. Our friend is having the best of care aud treatment. When he Is well enough you shall see him. Till theu we must abide by the doctor's orders. Relieve me. 1 am your friend and tuean no harm to you or him. On the contrary, 1 will do all I cau for both of you." And such Is the strangeness of these perverse natures that tears welled to Vivian's eyes, aud for a few moments she felt sanctified by her own sympathy. However, when Esther had departed Vivian forgot the stirring of her better emotions and gave strict orders to the manservant not to admit this eaiier again under |)eualty of di? missal. Esther returned to her hotel torn with conflicting emotions. Duty called her to Richmond, wiiere Hngnr was slowly, hut surely, recovering her reason. and duty and. stronger still. Iter deep and ardent love for Arthur held her here?a love that grew the stronger despite the strange, weird destiny that seemed to he bent on keeping them apart forever. Esther laid been in communication with Blake. the Richmond detective, whom she had trusted as at least one disinterested and iiitluential friend This night she wired him again that the condition of their friend?she had wired him previously of Arthur being Injured?would keep her for ttie time at least in Los Angeles, and while she ?s|ept that night, perchance to dream of happier days to come, a strangej v enclave? the stranglers of a soul ? was| | gathered in the luxuriously appointed ! library of the young millionaire who; lay upstairs in delirium from his m juries and opiates. I'irst. there were Duranci and his jackal, the dapper Count de Vaux Then there was Vivian, her enticing! charms doubled by the becoming nurse's uniform she wore. Then there! was Blair Stanley, silent and sullen, while the other three chattered of their plans ami strategies. CHAPTER XL. In the Hands of Drug Thugs. 11 < ) M si 111 il i ionn i I u \ iinniin It. l*ary t?? the wild outdoors is ;i { distance that may In* bridged ?Iuii l 'Iy I?y thought. Km the soul stranch rs who plot tor ;i fortune iiinl the* diamond from tin; shy have n.> thought of a rude eatnp'.ir'in the woods not twenty miles from where t lie man whose means. iiiiixl and lie i t happiness they plot auainst was injured and hy those injuries plaeed helpless in their j hands. Kid by the rude eainplite are two paste spattered. overall clad eiivu . bill posters, and they are pertinent to the Durand and His Jackal, the Uappor Count de Vaux, ! plotters in the shattered man's library in Los A nurlos, for they, though they , do not know it now. are nearer to at least one ureal object lor which the plotters seek to strangle a soul ? the | diamond from the sky. The diamond lies unnoticed since eari ly forenoon on the alighting hoard of one of liie many beehives in the apiary of Rancher Junes. 11 lies where Ids little three-year-old daughter dropped it when a testy bee had slung her lifter she had found the diamond beneath the rock where Sniylhe had put it. Where the billposters are camped in the woods beneath a great dead tree is not fit JO yards from the bee yard or j apiary of Rancher Jones. For some lIllVX I ! i I > 1111 h w I <? rsi ivitli I 11??i ? ivtif. i ons ami paraphernalia have made (lie straggling Warns ami wayside boardings of i his ihliily settled region WlosKom gaudily with the Wills announcing the appearances of Saut ley's Stupeu1 dous Circus. The circus Is playing the towns and cities large enough to meet tlie requirements of what its proprietor i calls "a regular show." Huntley's Stui pendous Circus Is a regular show, ami , if It is too big to play small places | such as Mammoth and vicinity, yet i Mammoth and vicinity are apprised of ! place of show uud day ami dare. It 1 has been the duty of the two blll|H>sii era. camped here beneath the deed tree in tllA Wtvuil to limLrti tlia U'l litnl-f\AUu -M iv a J 11 ? v tiav mJVV IIV blossom like I lie rose with the eye usfounding iNHtters of Santlcy's Stupenj dOllS C'ilVUK. Their fire has been slow In starting, bul now It burns well. As the billiKister who la called Jack Williams liestirs himself to mix some pancake flour, the billposter whose name is Hen Hurk fames over the fire and sheds a few tears and wipes his eyes from the acrid smoke of the newly started tire. I * And night comes quickly In California. It Is daylight and then dusk am? then dark. And fur off on the other side of the hill Lawyer Sin.vthc of London ha* lost his way nud walks In a eirele. seeking shelter. "There is no sirup." says the hill poster nained Burk. as he sear lies among the dirty tins of the larder an i holds the sirup run and shakes it by a doubting ear. "I told you not make thipjacks!" "What's your klek about molasse* bo?" asks the pancake expert, turiiin from the whitish mass lie Is stirring "Didn't we pass a bee yard not a qua* ter of a mile down the road?" i The other looks disgusted. "I should think you'd l?e slek of cook lug ami stirring paste to sling up billwith all day without mixing and eook iug paste tii eat at night!" he grumble.*. "Beat it! .Make yourself useful an go and get some honey. We got lots o! time Indole we have a lire hot enough for flapjacks." says the other. "If I <1 not eook flapjacks you won't have an\ thing to eat hut hat-oti: the bread's a! gone. Close your trap and go am! v wipe some honey. When I saw thus* 1 beehives 1 ^?t to thinking of flapjack.-* ami honey. Anyway. I've got to go fo water for eoll'ee It's almost as far foi water as it is for honey. Beat it!" So the hi 11 poster named Burk. stn grumbling, .takes plate and knife as li. is hid and im?\es off in the darkness i. rifle-the s\vii?t store of tin* Inrny bee* beyond. The moon sliincs vaguely just tihoi ? ! he sky line. its dim light harelx throws a shadow as Burk skulks ncni-.-. the held after eomlng out of the wood ami enters the rancher's bee yard. 11 rocks an occasional hi\c as In* passe* and tlie iniiriunr of disturbed bee* sounds du!!\ from wit'.iiu tlietn lbpa uses at last by otic that rocks with j heavier resistance, and he Is about to lift the cap piece when something gleams opates<eut in the moonlight on t lie a lighting hoard of the rocking hive. Burk stoops over and picks it up. hi tin* dim liirhl Iroin tlit* iiiiuhi I?? sees ii is m tuitions larire locket attached to a :nri??us cli tin of dull old n<?id of siu . ioni workniunship. I'.ut tlit* faro o! Iho loci ot Is what ha; aleaiinsl In noati t lit* Vk'a a inoon ra \ s. I In rk tamps al ihe si-lit of il. Was ever a diamond of siudi a si/.o? l'.Uf.? is a Imlpostor and knows lilt It* of d' i tiiiinds. Ilo ?-;i1111<?t toll diamonds IT o paste. perhaps. 11 11 ho can ti ll p-as'e from diamonds. "I wonder if it's a fake':" lie j^asps. "Why. a piooe of i this size would ho worth some nmimy!' Then, as if pronipto i hy some old huriosijuo htul'oonery. ho holds ihosliin in- object ajrainst his moistoneu tonvuo. "Anyway, it ain't alum." h says. IturU. fho billposter. kimia ai 1 itm. It is used in paste. The ir.oai wiiite stone fleams so hriahl ly as tinmoon's liuht strengthens t i.-it ilioiou_h hillpostor is half tonviiiced. "(Hi. Lortly! Suppose it was a re a diamond?" lie whispers hoarsely. And lie for-ets that lie has dropped tin plate and knife and is uiiooas on \ wandering away from the hives and honey. When he roaches the tiro henentli the dead free he notices his partner is ah sent. lie holds the lot ket in t Ijo lire ilijlit and is rewarded hy a hlaziip; tlax ail*, rnn'1'uiij; iiu' crimson giare <?i in (lames from tin* faeete I s;o?n* I nr. jis mm English walnut. Then he heara st< |? behind him and spring's gwiilil. to his I'eet. It Is .lack Williams, hack from the spring with a pail of walei for their coffee. "What's the excitementV Whateh hiding there?" asks .lack Williams suspiciously. Murk brings tin* chain and locket i:i! view. "Soniepin I found." he an swers. "Think it's worth an.vthing'. Sii|>f>ose it was a real diamond and a big as that? Ilully gee!" Williams takes it and examines i. scornfully. "A diamond that s!::e? lie asks. "You're daffy! They ain'. made that big. It's what the fake jew elry guys call 'a piece of big slum!' '* "But there's nothing cheap looking about it. That chain ain't brass inn the locket, either," says Burk. "Let's give it the acid test." remarks Williams, and. going over to the way on, he removes a piece of glass from one of the sides Of their large, square lantern. The uppermost facet of the stone in the locket; is drawn down across the glass. A low. gritting, slightly hissing sound follows. The amateur lapldar\ bends the deeply scratched plane of glass. It severs clear and straight along the line of the deep scratch. The billposters have found and now possess the diamond from the sky! They stare at It dumfouuded. Then Williams says hoarsely, "It's a real , diamond! We're rich men, Hen!" With an oath Burk snatches the chain uud diamond from the shaking hands of Williams. "We? Von ain't got no claim on it!" he cries, with hoarse greediness. "Who found it? Did you? Naw! 1 found it. : and it's mine, and 1 don't have t" ' share with .nobody!" ' "Well, keep It, you hog!" cries the other. "There's lots of junk will cut glass. 1 have heen good enough pal to you when you were sick and broke i and up against It, and if it Is worth j anythlug 1 suppose you are yellow dog | enough to hog it all! But this shows , me just what you are. And If it's | worth ten pins or ten millions 1 want | no part of it, you dirty, cheap four ! (lusher and sneaking swine!" Ami they make no coffee and cook | no cakes' nor bite nor sup with each i ntlux' I,nt wltli hnfi'Ml ami irrnwl In their heart* they lie for the last time ,| blanketed aide by aide. One of them i clutched *#?wel of murder and dlaaenaion and the other cannot sleep for , an aching anguish to wrest it from the wretched man who found it. ' # ! ???1 TT r~i Tl "I i *~T T T ? ) Blair Sprang to His Feet In Anger and Disgust. In tlu? library i??* the l*o\vc?ll tnansi >11 in far Los Angeles the soul strnuKk'i'8 speak of the diamond train the sky and wonder when it will come into .> their n reedy hands. "I came out here to net tlie diamond." says Otirant. "It will turn up; it al- * ways does. Meanwhile here are fat j pickings. Voe.." and he turned to I Itlair. "f:et everything in your liands i . . . ... ... I ill Till' OiilCC I 11 it I I Ills pilot' IlliOll up! stairs luis. | will take eare i hilt if ho cvrr 1*1 mmivet's in min<l op 1mm1v he will . hever cause us any 1 ramie. Once morphine yets them. that s ihe end. Wo wiil have hint lie down, sit u;>. roll over and play dead .1 list ;is we say. Talk of laiick r.*.a:,i *. it's nothing, to w bite nia&ic -morplrne sulphale!" And hr.rand mud a p .iui w.ih a red la! el. in win h smne siiiiiil white tablets Pill 5 led. 1 l;ti:*. who h:id hecji 'retting and fuming in sulky si.enee. now sprang i<? his l<*. i. hi ^ lace contorted wit h anger and disgust. "I >h? led el:;tin to he a saint. I hate Arthur Sian.cy. and 1 have always hated bun. lie stands in my way. !I;;i 1 \v:d have m? pari in murdering his taanlioed wi'li drills?feedin;;: him sl<i\v p u-uui of hod.v. soul and mind, with sniiiiug t;i<*es. I spit on you ah!" And r.iair glarij! menacingly at hoth I Hit*; nil and lie Vjiw.n as though to pi ing upon them. ex. a line hunch of cold blooded. owr.nliv murderers lor money, you :wo nro!" hissed lil.iir .is I Minimi mid I e V:iux recorded him in silent iiinu/.e: "ent. "An.I ;js for you"?iiml Rinir turned 11'' i "!v;: i iii her nurse's n;irl> mid edzed he" l?v the wrist -"tuke olT thLs Vivian Haid Blair In Her Embracas. masquerade! Let us kick out these vermin, and when Arthur is well and strong I'll kill him, like* a southern man kills Ids enemy?man to man and face to face!" "You are a flue one to spout heroics!'* sneered Vivian. "Do you forget" ? Then Vivian checked herself, for, though she sneered, she admired Bfoir. He was a man for all his congenital perversity. She had no intention of taunting him uow for hits having murdered a weak old man-?Dr. I,ee? for the diamond from the sky. Vivian reflected that even this guilt I of Blair's was a crime of Sudden pan- I slon for itossesslou of the diamond and panic at detection in the theft. After all, it was not the cold, insidious, slow murder?the strangling of a soul?the others purposed. Her face softened, a look of admiration came into her eyes,