The Horry herald. (Conway, S.C.) 1886-1923, June 08, 1916, Page SIX, Image 6
mc
-i~
pa a.
The Diamoi
Fr
By ROYL.
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 afternoor
and night.
i $10,000 For 1,000
Words or Less
For an Idea For a Sequel to
"THE
DIAMOND FROM
THE SKY"
I
The American Film Manufacturing
Company's FicU4*.zed
Romantic Novel In Chapters.
This contest is open to any man,
woman or child who is not connected,
directly or indirectly, with the fr i'im
Company or the newspapers publishing
the continued story. No literary
ability is necessary to qualify as a j
contestant. ,
You are advised to sec 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
suggestion. Contestants must con- ?
i r: ,l_:_ i-'.L r .< . I
line uini tuniriiiuuonii lor uie bO'iuci
to 1,000 toorcu or ie*\t. it is
the titca that is wanted. *
i
jsynopsis of preceding chaf
|v" ters.
^ a feud has existed between Colonel A
thur Stanley and bis cousin, .Indue Damn.
Stanley, over an heirloom, the diumoi.
from the sky, found in a fallen meteor b.
an ancestoi*. Also, the succession to th
Stanlev earldom In England may come t
"Sir ^American. \\ iien a daughter is boi
to thd colonel and tlie mother dies th
colonel Lu.\& n gypsy boy and rtut,?D'.ut<
him. Three years lalur Oie gypsy mot it.;*. (
having had ro part In this bargain, steals? ,
the girl, Esther, reared in fiocrcf, and
leaves her son undetected as the heir. The
gypsy phs obtained p...'.session of the dia>v*S*li10hd
fl'titn the sk>, and a document with
the Stanley secret. Years later 11 agar,
CJ-psy uUceii, returns to Virginia with l%s
ther. Dr. Dec, the late Colonel Stanley's
friend, adopts Esther. Arthur Stanley, son
of Hagar, falls in love with Esther, ami so
does his companion and cousin, Blair
Stanley, rightful male heir of Stanley. In
stealing the diamond Blair causes the
^lleath of the doctor and tries later to put
the blame on Arthur, who takes the gem.
Arthur Stanley eludes his pursuers and
joins Hagar, 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 Marston, wears the borrowed
gem, Duke Dovell, llagar's gypsy guard,
steals the diamond. Arthur leaves Richmond
and gee? to the west. Quabbu, or.,
..I. '- *! * _ ?' ,. ./
fctin Kiinui'i, ii.t> u i e r. 1
k Tom Blake, a <1 tive of Richmond,
J 3 hired by produces linger
prints convicting Blair. ifagur proposes
silence to Mrs. Stanley as the price n*
Hngar's and Eethfu'V ^.eh.t rce'ved in
'Pairfax, Society. Blair fetvikch Ql?w?\ 1 lagar
and steals tlnj finger prints, leaving
the gypsy queen demented. Marmudukt
Smylhe, lawyer, arrives to announce
Arthur is heir to the deceased Karl oi
Stanley. Learning Arthur is a fugitive he
necks Blair instead. To win Vivian, Blaii
eteals the diamond, later marrying hei'
and leaving lor the west. Their train itrobbed,
Vivian losing lite diamond, v. hieh
n. slain train robber drops in the desert
The J100,(MX) lie stole is found by Arthur,
now known us John Powell, sheep herder
Luke Loved, driven from liie camp uftei !
learning I liignr's secret, leaves to seek
Blair. 1 layer is under treatment and Rsther
is in Richmond society, Abe Bloom
gambler, knows Blair's guilt and eovetfc
the diamrrd
The diamond is later picked up by an
Indian woman. Dr. Lee, Arthur learns,
died of heart disease. Becoming very rich
he buys Stanley hall, sold at auction,
through Blake, ami also provides for 1 lagar
and Esther. Luke Lovell buys the diamond
from the squaw, but loses it in a
fight. Vivian, desiring uid to ensnare Arthur,
sends for Blair.
Vivian is saved from drowning by Powell,
who is infatuated by her. Kmy-tho
finds the diamond and gives it to Esther
to deliver to Arthur. Blair and Luke go
to Arthur's yacht and find Esther there.
Esther and Quabba escape while Blair
nd Luke battle. Blair in the meantime
has Joined Vivian In I.os Armeies. Da
rand, "king of diamonds," a crook known
to Vivian, goes to a saloon to try to discover
the diamond. There he meets Luke
Ixivell. leather and Arthur appear on the
cone. The diamond Is lost in a tnelec
Rather saves Arthur, who Is injured, and
lie goes to Dos Angeles In care of tlie phy Iclan-crook.
Durand. Esther follows and
Is refused admittance to seo him In the
meantime the diamond is found by two
bill posters, one of whom murders the
other for it, Arthur Is "doped" by Durand,
De Vaux and Vivian, although Blair,
who has taken charge "of Arthur's business
affairs, protests.
The diamond passes in dice play from
the bill poster to Santley, circus owner,
wbo Is killed,- and the diamond is put up
At auction as part of his estate. Blair and
Vivian falsify a telegram from Blako to
Arthur, making Arthur believe he suffered!
from hallucination In thinking he saw
Esther. I-uke Is "railroaded" to prison by
Rlalr. At the auction is Homer Gravdon.
an aged admirer of Vivian, who has promised
to buy the diamond for her.
CHAPTER XLVII.
"Sold to John Powelll"
id j
om the Sky
McCARDEL
MeCARDEL
it R!E you all through, gontlemetrr
/ reiterated the auctioneer. "I
have been ottered $70,000 for
this magnificent diamond. Itn
previous tldstory is unknown, but local !
experts have pronounced It to be worth I
ten times the sum you offer. Where
did It come from? That I cannot tell
.you, but by the decree of the court it
is adjudgeo au asset of the Sontley ?
circus, bankrupt. As such the pur- ;
chaser's title will be valid. Am I offered
any more? Seventy thousand, seventy
thousand, seventy thousand!"
Homer Graydon. wealthy spendthrift
that he was. grew ashen faced.
Seventy thousand dollars would tax
him to raise, but Vivian Marston gave
him an alluring smile, and as his pride
was also at stake, he made an effort to
stulle hack at Vivian and nodded to
I..lit. If ?-I
wiiii i i/ii vii ii?i ii in nu,vi vjiU uigner ll
.vou can!"
The rival bidder laughed recklessly.
Once more he felt all the daring carelessness
of Ids wild youth as Arthur
Stanley of Stanley liall.
"Highty thousand!" he cried.
Vivian was in a tlutter of unholy delight
to realize she was the inspiration
of the money mad rivalry between John
i'owell and Homer Graydon as they
eagerly bid for the bauble that had
been a talisman of death.
"Highly thousand I am bid by Mr.
Powell!" chanted the auctioneer.
'Come. come. Mr. (iruydon, l>o not
et superstition stop you. The lion
would have killed tiie lady and the
enlous husband would have killed ?>am
Sunt ley c\en had this diamond not ligaivu
iii iiu* vase perhaps. At? great
liamonds have their dramat>- history, i
Joniember the Kohinoor and Orlott'&anouds.
'i'his diamond may be a lucky
stone for all we know despite what has
happened."
Arthur knew better. Blair knew bctl
v, and so did Vivian and tlie Knglish
,i\\,?er. Sniythe. did LHirand, the
uternational diamond thief ami swin
lor. Ami so did his accomplice and
aokal. the dapper Count do Vntix. But
lotnor (iraydon only know that Vivian
Iarston's favor depended on the diamond.
"Kighty-il ve thousand dollars!" he
riod: then ho gulped and grew ashen
ale again. To raise #S."?.(KJU cash to
ay for this bauble to give a woman
u puld bo his ruin.
"Ninety thousand!" eriod John Tow-,
oil. . "??& : V- j
H* .iier (iraydon gave the auctioneer (
a negative jerk of the head in reply to
bis inquiring gaze. t
'Ninety thousand! Ninety thousand! j
Are you till done? Ninety thousand, j
nice! Ninety thousand, twice! Ninety j
thousand, for the last time!" He pans- ^
ed. "(ioing, going, gone! Sold to Mr.
John Powell for .$JK),000!"
Arthur scribbled a check as the
crowd buzzed and swayed around him.
Vivian gave a hysterical laugh and
hitched Arthur by the arm as the nue- j
lioneer handed him the diamond from
the sky. Then as the purchaser and
Ids little coterie of friends passed
through the dispersing crowd Vivian
lOOKOti nomcr wrayuon in me lace dejp<nratcly
and turned her back upon
111 11. ,u. 4. uWlt 'fl. J J i*.. I
* < i m ? '
,
In her room at her modest hotel Ksther
debated nervously with herself.
The rank injustice done Luke, who
hal been railroaded to prison by the iutluence
of Llair Stanley and Frank
l Mirand while Arthur had never inter-1
I'ered made her more bitter than she
had been at the strange attitude Ar-|
thur had taken toward her since his
recovery from his injuries. ltumors
that his mind was a fleeted as a result
of his hurts wore l ife in Los Angeles.,
where those who had formerly called
him "the golden man." now designated
Arthur as "John l'owell. the mad mil-;
liona ire."
For b.erself she would never again
intrude upon Arthur, surrounded as he
was by sycophants and parasites who
worked him evil. But for Luke Lovell.
done a great injustice, she would make
one last appeal before she returned to
liichmond and linear. The remorse
and contrition of Luke that ho had
ever been disloyal to her and linear.
Kstlier felt genuine. She determined
to take the ICnglixh lawyer Smytlie into
her contidenee, and found occasion t<?
send Quabba to Smytlie with a message.
lawyer Mnyine was also preparing
to leave Los Angeles. He bad shipped
Ids precious deer head l>y express with
much misgiving and foreboding of
harm befalling it ere it reached his
dearly beloved England. where he was
shortly to follow. Like Esther. the eccentric
but loyal English lawyer was
becoming discouraged and dismayed at
v the pux/Jing conduct of the American
heir, a fugitive from justice in Virginia.
flourishing under the home of
John Powell, a thousand leagues from
Stanley hall. Virginia.
"I confess it is an enigma to me." hu
explained to Esther. "Of course. Blair
Stanley, as the next in succession, cannot
l?ecome the Earl of Stanley so long
as Arthur Stanley lives. That Arthur
Stanley lives under another name only
adds to the confusion of the whole
I bully thing!"
THE HORRY fi?RA
KX ' VkJbHW *
^isi wk
$?> Rs fjRnBI |ff
IwflHff f^sa *r >
SA . gRwi^1
They Fouod Luke Contrite.
Then Esther fold him about Luke,
ami been use ho bud n kindly heart In
Ills queer body the English lawyer ne
coiupanied Esther to the prison on u
visiting day. They found I.uke eon
trite and t.ender both toward Esther
turn ni^ .hmvreigu. nugur. lie
begged to l?e remembered to Ilagar and
lhat she he assured that once he was
out of prison and had his revenge in*
would return to the tribe and serve Ha
gar faithfully as head man agahi. Hut
lie was obdurate in his sullen determination
Jo have his revenge in his own
way.
"Ho back to Virginia. Miss Esther,"
he said, ''and leave the matter of ni.v
enemies to me. They have so mm h
inilucnce a poor g,\ psy could get 110 justice
against them in the courts. If i (
tola my story it wouldn't he listenedto.
Hut I can't he hold here forever, <
and I will have a better revenge in a ;
better way.'' I
And in this frame of mind, mingled , I
with his tender altitude toward her. j
Esther and the English lawyer left j I
hiii). Luke looked strange and grim 1 I
with his cropped head and shaved i
lice in his prison garb. He was not i
the rugged, picturesque figure Esther had
known since childhood. He seem |
od another being, a graven faced, iin 1
placable personification of a vengeance j that
could wait to strike. J j
Hardly had the newspaper sensation 1 |
I..I,.. ??-... .~0' I * - " 1
<?i noun I 1I? I II > IMIlClil^U Ol I lit? Ilia- ( I
inond died down than "the mad r?M |
lionniro." as he was called for ecceti- ' |
tncitios. broke into print again. Now I *
jhe'ncwspapers announced that to celeSmytho,
In Armor, Persisted In Carrying
His Great English Umbrel a.
hruto his recovery from his recent injuries
Mr. John Powell would give a ;
groat lete. tlie ursi formal House warm
ing of his grand new mansion. At this
t'etc. tlio papers stated, the meat diu
inond that had caused the tragedy and
bankruptcy of the Santloy circus
would figure in a sensational surprise.,
It was \ ivian who had suggested t lie j
fete, a costume affair. Arthur, tor
nientod as lie was with the devilish!
suggestion of insane delusions and adi
dieted to evil drugs, welcomed any ex
; eiteinent, any dissipation, to make hint
forget the attacks of remorse that ever
and anon obsessed him. Like many
1 others in the same situation. Arthur
believed his evil companions were his
good friends and true, for ever they fed
his vanities and flattered and fawned
nj>on him. Vivian lived In an elysiuni
ftf flS'k ?n<t fftmt Kr Iiiviipu 'PV??k< 1
... ?? ?? NWWVIJ IU A??? %T i IJOl
wore high revels niKtitly by the mad
millionaire and his friends In the gay
I resorts of Los Angeles, and now there
was to come the crowning effort in
wasteful and luxurious prodigality1
the Powell costume ball.
Arthur abandoned all business af |
fairs to Rlair. Now that he had tin
diamond from the sky. Vivian was ex
ertlng every wile to obtain It. And
Arthur promised he would present It
to her fittingly at the fete.
But there Is no honor among thieves.
^ Already Durnnd was planning to cheat
r,t> CONWAY* s o
*Btalr after Arthur. as John Powell
was ruined. Durund hroaclied this tc
Vlvlaci. who played her cards tactfully
and seemingly encouraged hiiu In
his treachery to Blair. Her one desire
was the diamond, and that was to be
hers the night of the fete. She could
hardly wait for it.
The night came, as nil nights will.
+ ****
Esther had decided the best way to
intercede for Luke would be to intrude
upou Arthur at the fete and make him
promise to secure Luke's release frotu
prison.
Siuvthe accompanied Esther in a taxicab
to tlie fete. He was attired as a
knight in armor, but persisted in carrying
tils great English umbrella. He
explained he did not wish to get wet
and become rusted in tils armor in
case it rained. When informed that
the rainy season in this section of the
country was yet some months oil
Sm.vthe had replied that rain knew no
seasons. lie had wen it rain in London
when even die Times .bad,.predict
cd fair wCuther. So "he would run nc
risk and would take his umbrella.
"I feel l?etter when 1 carry some
tiling." lie ndded. "When I curried
my game trophy, the deer head. 1 did
not need an uuihreiia. in met. it did
not rain while I carried it. which was
remarkable. So now i shall carry tlie
umbrella, especially as I have shipped
the deer head to London, and I do
hope it will not be stolen or injured In
iransif."
At the Powell mansion, entering with
the crush of musket's. Esther and
Smythe found the butler, arrayed as a
gorgeous major douio. receiving the
guests, as tile host was to nmko
entrance iu some novel ami surprising
manner, it was whispered. In faet.
I he costume fete was a lavish Bohemian
revel. Wine llowed. punch was
served on every side, and the attests
made themselves at home and joined
in the dance and revels. A Hungarian
hand played in the nxand hall
room and a string orhestra in the conservatory.
CHAPTER XLVIII.
"Choose 'Jatwcen Us!"
^ ^MYTIIJ], a humoresqtie lisure in
his helmet and ?ii ioor and with
f to the incongruous crook handle
umbrella, led Esther to the one
piiet spot iu all the bedlam of romp
iial revelry. This was a small upstairs
reception or tea room, plainy
but richly furnished, and with
t lar^o window that overlooked the
lawns and tlower garden. A who'
branched palm in a haml-mmo j.ab.iitiere
screened a small divan or settee
tear the center of the room. llesitle it
?i o111<i ii I'liitiii' uiu;i\ iiiiiir
led Ii? the billiard room and tbroach
the billiard room gave ingress am!
ygre.-s lo the quiet spot. A few c.iupb.v
strayed in and out. but for the mo.u
|>:irt IOsther was alone in I bis s:;:;: 11
tearoom after Sni.vtbe left her to ap
[>: [ ? tho inn^ter ??f C'e bouse thut a
lady v. Is hod to see iii.n
In t lie great ballroom I be gay sot of
T.os Angeles wore hilarious witb wtiu
and musie. Itlair, a bandsr.me i!I!..
striking figure in the full <;:iIfom of
Confederate otlieer, forgot bis sclu ...
and plans and enjoyed bimself with all
tbe abandon of his reckless nature. I)n
rand, arrayed in a eon vent ionali/.ed
costume as tbe king of diamonds, look
cd l!be that court card come to life.
' I am running true to form." be
whispered to Vivian. " 'Tbe pack' call
ed me tbe king of diamonds, and here
I am. you see, costumed for the parti"
"You wouldn't have dared 1?> dress
in character abroad," laughed Vivian
"The police of ICuropc look too con
stantly for the king of diamonds!"
"You are right, my dear girl." replied
Durand carelessly. "I?ut. speaking ol
Kurope, even the carnival at Monte
Carlo was no gayer scene than tins
Certainly our friend, tbe whilom John
Powell, is giving a prim ely fete. Hut
what is ibis big surprise be is to
spring?"
''I haven't the least idea." confessed
Vivian. "He is very secretive of lute."
Then her brow knit in a slight frown
as she remembered that Arthur had
promised to give her the diamond tins
11i;;111. hut when she had sent him a
note hy her maid he had only returned
her word that the diamond would he
given her later in the evening. Where
was he? What was his surprise?
"I thought you would come as the
Queen of Hearts," remarked Durand.
interrupting her train of thought.
"When we despoiled Europe you were
known in the pack as the Queen of
Hearts, as I was known us the King
of diamonds. I)e Vanx, too, is chary
of our old pseudonyms. He touted for
our victims at the select and exclusive
clubs in tlie various capitals of Europe,
so lie was called the Knave of Club*.
Hut he. too. seems to wish to forget.
There lie Is. dancing with a dark oriental
dancer. He is in the costume of
a French zouave."
"Let us .forget the past?and our
pasts!" said Vivian bitterly.
Then Durand exchanged a smile with
a charmer attired as a Neapolitan flow
er girl and whirled away in the dance
with her.
Outside Quabba and the gardenei
peered through tlie windows at the ga>
scene, in company with chauffeurs and
coachmen.
Upstairs Esther waited nervouR and
impatient, half regretting she had
come. Then she remembered Luke
unjustly in prison, and her resolutioi
ret timed.
Iu the ballroom below Sm.vthe. hei
eccentric yet faithful knight, wuuderei
a IH>ut seeking the master of the man
sion.
Suddenly the music stopped. Then
was a fanfare of trumpets, and tin
rays of a calcium light were turuct
from the gallery toward the great pur
i .. . > . ^
i *
I^^Suk^^^sm89^mw4
i I
i Esther Was Atone In the Tea Room.
I
pie velvet curtains nt the end of the
ballroom. These were drawn aside b.\
t ?<? slim younu uirls in the eostume of
Tudor puues. and there between tinparted
velvet curtains, full In the ureal
pencil of light direeted at him. sat the
i figure of a cavalier on a urealt white
horse with crimson trappings. Im
movable as a statue stood rider and
steed. Then the band crashed a march,
and through the ballroom to the center
came rider ami horse. Mere they paused.
and the rider made a sweeping how
! to tin* startled assemblage. ,
It was Arthur Stanley of Stanley
hall. Virginia, hut known here, save
to a few. as John Powell, rightly "the
mad millionaire!" IIe dismounted and !
look from his neck the great diamond!
in its curious locket and chain. He held
t in the tierce light beating on him.
Ind it biased ami sparkled.
"friends, my dear and welcome
j uests." he cried in a ringing voice, "i
will tell yon a strange story of the lirst
I.in.dig of a great gem such as this. A
gem known as the diamond from the
Iskyr
And there he told, and with a poetic
diction he must have practiced, the
story of the adventurer. Sir Arthur j
Stanley, sometimes called the fallen
Star, founder of the Stanley family in !
, Virginia and tinder of the diamond
from the sky.
While the revelers hung spellbound
r.t the story, he told of how don years i
Dgo the reckless Sir Arthur, younger |
, son of the lirst farl of Stanley in fng- j
land, had been banished to America to j
the fmrlish Settlements hi Virclnl i nm!
had gone far up the Rappahannock riv
, er trails t<> steal away an Indian ptin
I ^MMMMMMm/mmmMMa|M???? ?.?,? ?*4
i ffeJf t"v 1
i ii JP^^B % '?
H? Took Frofn His Nock tha Groat
Giaaming Diamond.
i cess. He told of Sir Arthur's capture
by tlk? savage red men. his torture by
stake and tire, and then the fall of the
meteor in-the night that had saved his
life and deified him, for the Indians
had taken it. as u sign of the Great
. Spirit's displeasure.
Then he told of the finding of the
, great diamond in the eddied meteor uud
of his ancestor hearing it away and
. consigning it to his heirs to bo worn
when a descendant of his would he
. called to the Knglish earldom. "It is
called the diamond from the sky. the
? <i fro In ItrtStn * 4 Iw?
k V IIU1UI (l^uill^l lift ill* tl^lKIUUni IUV
j speaker dramatically. "For none save
I. a true descendant of the adventurer
I who found It or the woman he loves
can possess it lest it briug disaster and
deathr
Thus Arthur concluded and a groom
> led the horse away. The crowd cheer?i.
the band struck up a lilting meas
>' ure and the dance went on.
1 Removing his plumed hat and wig.
- Arthur led Vivlun upstairs to the reception
room that they might be alone.
? As they ascended the stairs a great upl?
roar of laughter rose In the bullroom.
1 Marmaduke S my the had been stand
j lug on u chair to better see and bear I
::k? story i?f the dfamotat frornr the sky. I
111 ttio\ iUK to act <1< wit to convey to*- I
f.cf's i.:o?sar:o til the dismounted speak- 1
ot*. Sinythe iuid hmUcn an electric liudit 1
wall bracket and as a result tils metal |
uriuoi* had short circuited a live wire. I
lie was rescued with a HIQOktDR plume. I
hardly any the worse for the electrical 1
\ J
Arthur Begged Her to Take It and to *
Forgive Him.
mishap, when Vivian and Arthur entered
the room whom Ksther waited.
They <1 i? 1 not see the slight limine i?eliiml
the palm.
Vivian threw her arms around Ari
luir and kissed him.
"(Jive me the diamond. Arthur, dear.''
<ho murmured.
F'.ut Arthur drew hack with a startled
cry. for there, looking full at tlx 111
with scornful jraste. was lOsther!
;iii
"Where is the diamond?" shrieked
Vivian.
Vivian realized the subterfuge tb.?ii.
Esther was an apparition would no
longer avail. She shrieked, "Choose
between us!"
Arthur thrust her from him and
through the door, the one entrance to
the room, and turned the bronze bolt,
while Vivian screamed and beat outside
in rage and halllcd desire for the
diamond.
But ere Arthur had thrust her from
the room Vivian's clawing grasp had
ripped ids velvet sleeve and shirt, and
his arm was bare to the elbow as lie
extended the diamond from the sky to
Esther and wildly cried, he knew not
why, for her to take it and to forgive
him.
But Esther's eyes were wide and
wild. Her gaze was upon his naked
arm. scarred and marked from the
needle thrusts of his drug addiction.
Sim hint roiwl nf fit tlx*.
newspapers. Now she knew?
"That is ttie reason!" she gns|?ed In ?
horror and disgust. And with Indig- )
nant fervor she snatched the diamond
from his grasp and threw it from her
as an evil thing.
Stricken with shame and remorse*
Arthur bowed his head on the table
and sobbed. He had not seen or cared
wnere tne diamond Had been flung,
nor had Bather. It had hurtled through
the open window and had fallen, only
to be caught in the trembling branch
of a rosebush far beneath.
Vlvian'a screams had not distuii>e(S
the noisy revelers in the ballroom,
showering confetti and singiug as they
danced and drnnlc, but Durand and
Blair, mindful of the diamond, had
followed. They found Vivian hysterically
scrabbling ut the door of the litt