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Show -r "" By ROIT Zs.MS CARDBLL Copyright, I91J. by "Roy I. McCardtll fc A novellxitlon of th photo ply aalectod tho bast In over 19,000 aubmltUd to tha tcsnarlo dapartmant of "V tho Chlcnao Tribune In a $10,000 prist contast during Dtcembtr and January. Tho manutcrlpU In thli competl- , iW tlon eamo from many toetlona In tho United 8taU and Canada. Authora of noto aa wall at thouaandi of ama tour took part. CHAPTER XXXIV. "Tho King of Diamonds." Tim next day, tho delay mid lo. ing their way giving their oil"-mica oil"-mica n chance to overtake them on horses stolen from u lonely lone-ly ranch in tho valley, Mnrninduke Binytho was Jolted from his place nt the back of the buckuonrd. Ills very discomfiture, however, aided Esther Es-ther and Quabba, for the horses of Luke and lllnlr hnd shied off at the equlrmlng flguro of the lawyer In the road, and when Ulalr mid Luke resumed re-sumed pursuit Ustlicr and Quabba had reached the llttlu railroad station and safety. In Los Angeles Vivian Mnrston still weaves tiic spoil of her charms about Arthur. She is tho first to be taken to view the wonderful Aladdin's palace that as the millionaire oil ninu and mluo owner, John Powell. Arthur has built. It is n homo lit to house tho woman wo-man who dreams of possessing tho til i-inond i-inond from the sky. Hut, as n philosopher wisely said, "Everybody has a past." It Is not the things wo do ir tho things wo nro going go-ing to do that sway our course. It is tho things wo huvo done. Vivian wps parting with Arthur nt the door of her hotel. Her eyes were bright; her checks were Hushed. Never Nev-er had she been so Interested or so happy. Arthur's Infatuation wos complete. com-plete. Vivian only waited till the diamond dia-mond from tho sky was seen ngaln of men. Onco it nppeared again she would have it, rightfully or wrongfully, wrongful-ly, and to this end slio would make uso of tho desperate mid reckless nature na-ture of lllnlr or of Arthur Stanley, within his rights or as John Powell with his millions. She would play fast and loose with all tho world to attain tho star of her desire. Hut everybody has n past. At the door of her hotel, as she smiled her most dazzling smile in farewell to Arthur, Ar-thur, n dapper young Frenchman, attired at-tired In tho height of fashion, (.tumbled against her. "A thousand pardons!" ho cried, and, - lifting his hat, ho bowed sweeplngly to T3 Vivian and then to Arthur, waiting at tho curb by ids limousine. As Vivian blanched, for she recognlz-vd recognlz-vd tho dapper little Frenchman, slio felt n card pressed Into her hand, tho passing of tho card masked by the stranger's hat. She deftly hid tho card in tho laco cuff of her slcgve. and the little Frenchman murmured his apologies apolo-gies again and was gone. Vivian hardly remembered how she said goodby to Arthur and reached her room. Strong us was her will and resolution, she felt her baud tremble ns she plucked the card from her sleeve. Slio had hardly need to look, it was ' n playing card the king of diamonds! As one in u ditto Vivian struck a match and applied it to the comer of the card. Tho face of the card burned, shriveled nml passed olT In smoke. There on the backing In liold, masculine handwriting was n message: To tho Queen of IIcartB You will work with us. Wo uro after the diamond from the sky, (Signed) Till: KINO OF DIAMONDS. "Frank Durand!" she gasped. "Frank Durandl" Sho clinched the scorched enrd till It crumpled to n shapeless mass. Her past had como back. The past of Monto Carlo and of Kgypt. A past that meant the police mid (light: ti past that meant wasto and folly and wealth III gained and quickly dissipated. And now Durand, the king of diamonds, dia-monds, called upon her with nil the might nnd right of these criminal bonds of old association. Now If she gained tho diamond this star among Jewels would not blazo upon her breast; It would bo sold ns swag and divided up ns plunder by Durnnd, tho international internation-al swindler and gem thief, tho notorious noto-rious king of diamonds, Tho king of diamonds! She romem bored now her part in the game. Sho was tho queen of hearts! Tho decoy! And Vivian Mnrston beat her tender hands against tho wnll until they were bruised nnd swollen and bit her lips till tho blood came. Sho know now whom Bho had to light, their cruelty and their cunning. Hut sho resolved to match cruelty and cunning with her beauty and her woman's wit. This tlmo sho would stack tho cards. The queen of henrtH would play against her XJ old confederates for tho diamond from tho sky! At Santn Darbarn Esther nnd Quabba Quab-ba nrrlvo, and thcro they learn that tho b'jnutlful now yacht belonging to John Powell Is still in tho harbor. Esther resolves to visit Arthur on board unannounced, taking with her the diamond nnd tho Stunley document. docu-ment. Sho bolloved Arthur would know what courso would lJ best for them both to tako. Esther had no doubt of Arthur's loyalty or his lovo for her. All sho had looked forward to was to meet him fnco to face With this in vlow sho had endured and ad-ventuied ad-ventuied with steadfust courage nnd lilgh resolve. Esther does, not know that nialr has T... " -'iaHHHHHPI!l 'ctt,s-firwiiSSBilHHHaBaBawlHi BSEi . fa-" "-', t,f f H - t 4 v Wm t WmmWM i - VmMmm I ,!i rmMMmimmS V mIIII L7 I iiflHRp tll AXhMMMMwfK Vivian Blanchsd, For Sho Recognized the Dapper Little 'Frenchman. knowledge of John Towel1 cud his yacht. Hut lllnlr, having no cause for secrecy when ho has arrived in Santa Harbara, has not remained hidden nt n hotel, as Esther has. tho discreet Quabba also keeping from sight. So Hlalr has learned Arthur has left the yncht and has returned to Los Angeles on business. Unless Esther has communicated with Arthur, which Ulnlr does not deem likely. Arthur has no reason us yet to suspect hlui, lllnlr knows. In his daring way Hlalr Is Indifferent. Ho telegraphs to Arthur ho has arrived In Santa Harbara mid is disappointed in missing liltn. Arthur realizes that he' Is a usurper, standing In tin! way of Hlalr's birthright, tho Stanley heritage. For this. If not for the old association of their wild youth in Vlrgliilu, Arthur has n generous desire to make amends for tho Injustice ho thinks ho docs Hlalr. HH 1 'H IUHiH y IjHHHI mm HHHHKaCii IwHHHaa HHBHHHH' V aHHHHh HHHHHHH , . CtHI HHHHHEte?jvBKJ&Tj Rl iJMrSriia? 25 ilttSaw jHHr H Hor Patt Had Come Deck. Tt Is Vivian's wish also to keep Hlalr from Los Angeles. The time may come when she tnny need him, though, when sho battles against Durnnd. the king of diamonds, and the rest of the "pack," as they call themselves. Hut Just now she Is not In open warfare with the "pack." She Miggests to Ar thur that Hlalr stay and look nftor the yacht In Santa Harbara and that later they Join him there for a cruise nil together. to-gether. How she Is to exert her wl'c upon Arthur In the proximity of Hlalr Is n matter that Vivian leaves to the time nnd the place. Hlalr and the sailing master of the yacht get their telegraphed InxtructloiiH from Arthur, and when Hlalr goes nhoanl he finds the sailing master nnd a few of the men of one watch aboaid the rest of the crew having been given i.hore lenvo In tho absence of the i wner. "Mnke yourself 'nt home. Mr. Stanley." Stan-ley." snys the sailing muster. "You will find things in Mr. Pou ell's cnbln." "I will need n good deal of tlxlng up." Hlalr explains laughingly. "My man nnd I got lost In the mountains while hunting." And he Indicated Luke, win had come aboard with him. ""Let your man go to the foreciiRtle. and I will see lie, Is fitted out." said the nailing master. "As for you. sir. I take It from Mr. Powell's telegram you nro to help yourself to what you wish of his things till your own arrive." The sailing master led Ulnlr to Arthur's Ar-thur's cnbln nnd then said he would take tho launch to the wharf and round up the crew In Santn Hnrbarn. "Which," ho added, "won t be hard to 13L i c Arthur Realizes That Ho Is a Usurper. do, ns Santa Barbara is a tompcrauco town. It Is only a question of which of the uioWo bIiows the men nro nt." As tho launch panted to tho wharf tho sailing master nnd tho man running run-ning tho launch weio nwnro of a very pretty girl in a snowy yachting costume cos-tume being rowed In tho direction of John Powell's yii"ht by a huuehback of foreign aspect. Tho sailing master noticed tho girl In tho lowbont eyed him keenly, but turned ns though dls-appointed. dls-appointed. Arriving by tho compnnlonwny, Esther Es-ther cautioned Quabba to make no explanation ex-planation if questioned, as she wished to glvo Arthur tho huppy surprise of facing him unannounced. Hut no sullor on watch bin rod her way nor were any questions shouted over tho mil to Quabba. Tho yacht swung idly at anchor, an-chor, and Buch of tho crow us wcro on tho boat wero In tho forecastle with tho gypsy fellow who bud couio uboard with tho friend of tho owner. Here tho bottlo of liquor thut Luko had brought wns augmented by somo ot tho same quality one of tho hospltuble sailors hud In his bunk. In Arthur's cabin Hlalr had refreshed refresh-ed himself with a shower nnd had donned don-ned fresh linen mid u yachting suit of Arthur's. Tho two young men were of tho satno size, ond tho uniform coat and cap flttcd Hlalr to n nicety. Esther, crossing tho deck,, saw no nllor or officer In charge. She heard some one stirring nbaft mid there. In what tuis cUdcutly the owner's cubln. sho noted a tall and stalwart jouug man in uniform, his back turned to tho open door. Esther tiptoed forward and, pulling tho diamond from tho sky out In lew upon her neck, her dps hud framed tho word "Arthur!" when she found herself gazing horrified horri-fied Into a mirror that reflected tho haiidsoiuo but wltked face of Hlalr! Esther turned with n cry for help .tnd sped niroKs the deck. There, from the doorway to the forecastle, tho bulky firu of n lceilng, sodden bruto creature faced her. It was Luko Lovell! Esther turned and darted to ono i;de. missing the clutching grasp of Hlalr Stanley by n Inlr's breadth. Tho sudden revulsion from hope and happiness to fear and despair had driven driv-en Esther to n frenzy of sudden fright. As though upon the wings of fear, she fled. Ilnidly knowing what she did snvo th.it she escaped her enemies, Esther Es-ther plunged over tho sheer Mdo of the yncht Into tho sea! Down. down, down sho sank in the cold, wun water. There wos n tinging ting-ing of death bells In her ears, n pressure pres-sure upon her henrt that seemed about to burst her asunder. The strangling pea Willi r rasped her tender tliro.it. Sho rluti lied ot her neck InstlnetUely. Her hands closed upon something haul nnd cold, colder than the cold depths In which sho souk It was tho diamond from the .ly! llO IIU CONTINUUt). |