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Show M r3f By. ROY ,. jvt2 CARDBLL B. Copyright, 1913. by "Roy I.. McCardell flf' A novellaatlon of tha photo play selected th. bait in over 19,000 eubmltted to the scenario department of vBBBT tho Chicago Tribune in a 10,00u prlxe contest during December and January. The manuscripts in this competi-7BTI competi-7BTI .tlon cam from many tectlone In the United States and Canada. Authors of not as well as thousands of ama- aaaal aVitaura took cart. BBJ ..-VIS. h "chapter xii. BBB Th Tournament. HiVUT poor Arthur Stonley won't BBB U bo hero to rldo this year," B II exclaimed the Rood unturcd BBBJ young mnii when they had BBJ all finished reading tho announcement BBBJ "Tlio Iden of them suspecting he kill- BBBj rd old Dr. Lcel" chimed hi tho equally BBBJ generous iulmlpil Ralph Hunter. "Why. BBB Arthur for nil his wild ways had tho BBB Lest nnd kindest henrt In tho world, BBB And ho loved Dr. Leo llko n hoii, even BBB If they did hare sonic Jolly old rows BBT about tho wny Arthur spent money like BBS water nnd got In debt." BBB "Hut why did Arthur run nway? BBB Nono of us bclluro him guilty, nnd wo BBJ may havo our faults In Fall fas, but BBJ wo nro nil kin, nnd wo nil stand to- BBJ gethcr when outsiders tnako trouble," BBJ risked Ralph filmier. BBJ "Shut up, you big silly!" cried Ilcrt BJ Randolph Impulsively. "Can't you sea BJ you nro making Miss IMhcr cry 7 BBJ Didn't you promise mo wo wouldn't BBJ say anything about Arthur's troubles? BB You know Miss IMhcr liked him best BB of all of us." BBf "Oh, pray, do forgive mc, Miss Es BB thcr," cried the contrlto young Hunter B "But I just can't keep quiet nbout Ar BBS tliur. Keeping quiet Implies wo do bo-Bf bo-Bf ' llovo thoso nwful suspicions." BiaaW "1 tlinnlr vnn tni flinf ' unt.1 Ttiflmi. .....- v.. .v. ....., ....... ...ut... . BB tremulously. "Let us talk about him f Wo know ho Is guilty of nothing ex- B ccpt being n reckless boy, with no fa BB thcr and no mother." V Ilpgnr spoko up for the first time. BB "Yes," slio said huskily, "ho had no BB mother." BB "I'll tell you something nbout Ar- S tliur," spoko "P Bert Randolph. "It BJ was a secret, he had only told mc. He BJ was going to rldo In tho tournament BJ this year nnd wrest Hlnlr's laurels ns BJ tho best rider In Fairfax from hlui BJ You kuow why? Well, Arthur was de- Bj tormlncd to win this year. It was B when Miss Esther wns nt Dr. Leo's he B told me. lie was resolved to win so ho W could crown Miss Esther queen of love y and beauty." F "Well, wo'll do It for him," cried S't young Hunter. "All the girls of Fnlr- w "Wi fax aro wild for the liquor. Itut wo'll fc win It for Miss Esther. One of us will BB block Illnlr Stanley, and the other wIJI BB win tho wreath." BBJ "IIo!" chuckled young Randolph. BB "Is that the chlvnlry of a masked BBJ knight In tho tournament of Fulrfax? BB That's n trick like Itlalr Stanley played BBi almost. 1 am nstoulshed at you, BBS Itnlph," he ndded, with mock serious- Bo Be All laughed, icIIl'vciI of tho tension H tho mention of Aitlim-s (light under Its JJJJJr (t-ll lull r.ii'iviji linn iiiuiiiii iiliuii iiiu BBJ little group, and soon nflor tho young BBft nicii rode nwny, declaring that Ksther BBJ should bu crowned at their hands nnd BBJ tho socially powerful female relative BBJ from Rlchiuoud should take tho young BBJ mistress of Stanley hall itndut tho beu- BBJ cQco of her esteem, Bf' It was nbout at this snmo time, on K this samo nrtcruoon, that a glum faced H hunchback organ grinder with n mon- Hf- key limped Into tho doorynrd of Farm- H cr Smith's. Poor Qunblml Well could H ho rcnllzo that riches seldom bring B happiness especially when wo lose K them almost as quickly ns they havo BBJ been gained. Bf Itut tho Joy and glee of tho little E flve-ycnr-old daughter of tho Smiths BBJ cheered Quabba. BBv "Kids arc always glad to rco us, H anyway, Clarence," he said, nnd he K played his blithest tunes and Clarence BBf, wns prompted to hi? best comedy by BBJ tho appreciation of tho small but select BBS audience, H; When Arthur, working on tho Smith BBS farm under tho name of John I'owell, k came across tho Holds at sunset With B his employer It was a merry group BBJr they found In the dooryard, Quabba BBE and Clarcuco being regaled with tho BBJ, best from the board, as nil wandering BBS minstrels Bhould bo. BBK "I'm on my wny to tho tournament BBS at Fairfax," Qunbbn said. BBK' Tho Fairfax tournament! Arthur stir BBr red with & sudden resolve. Ho would BBS' got IIo would win tho wreath and S- crown Esther queen of lovo nnd beau- BBS tyt It was a wild risk to take, n dur- BBS lug thing to do, but ho longed to sco BBS Esther, and tho lovo of romance and BBSJ tho Inclination to tho dramatic wcro J tho hcrltago of his gypsy blood that L-gfr ovcrcamo all caution nnd discretion. HHB Ho would got His heart bent llko a BE drum with tho resolution. Forcing him- Wsijr self to speak with a calmucss ho far BlK from felt, ho spoko up and said: BBS "If I can bo spared for tho day, nnd BBS If you will lend mo Starlight, Mr. BBR Smith, and If you will mako mo a BBS mask, Mrs. Smith, and lend mo a plumo &BS for my hat, I'll rid ami show them WBk how wo do it in Kentucky!" BBSJ For It was as n young Kentucklan In BBf bard luck Arthur had explained his Bp? plight nnd presence in that part of tho BBS. country, llotli tho fanner and his wlfo BBS "id often discussed tho stranger. who BBS; '"! como to their door in tho gutsqof BBBBH "" " " is BVBWBYBlBVaBBVJBVBVBBVJBVjaaSsBBHBa - PBBBBBBBBBBBBBB9BBB, '' BBPlBWBWBWBWBWBYBn mJuli, ft v - - - B otiU , , 9bkI1ibP WNHNbJR5w& s ' ySjJKpMBllLiHB t i-IHbP7 It Was a Merry Group. n tramp, but they could sec "by his ways nnd manners he was no tramp. They Judged him by his open, manly couutpnnucc and gentle courtesy, uud whatever was his secret they felt It was no dishonorable one. On Starlight, then, the farmer's blooded saddle horse. In his new cheap best clothes, and with his black silk innsk nnd ostrich plumo tho farmer's wife hnd furnished from her Sunday finery, Arthur rode away with tho best wishes of the runner and his wife nud his llttlo girl, "to show," ns Former Smith expressed It, "thoso stuck up Fairfax swells n tnsto of old Kentucky qunllty." Quabba had been gone since the day before, but Arthur overtook him near Stanley hall. They wnved nt each other as Arthur galloped past And thou Artlmt- rnfitml til-l linriu. Ill n llttli rnntn of wood near tho mnnslou Did ho but know It, It wns tho spot where ho had been born. IIo had last seen Esther nt Hngnr's camp, but ho was not surprised to catch tho flutter of her dress at the wludow of tho balcony thnt overlooked tho garden nt tho sldo of Stnnley hall Ho had well remembered Hagnr's parting part-ing words thnt sho would take Esther to dwell at Stanley halt. Cautious and as quiet ns ho was In stealing toward tho house, tho keen enrs of Luko Lovell, nt Stanley hall that day with messages to Hagar from her gypsy folk, heard his cautious footfall, foot-fall, ami from a hiding plnco saw Arthur throw n hastily scrawled note, tied to n stone, through tho open balcony bal-cony to Esther's room. Tho note begged her to meet him nt the old Btllo at tho top of tho hill, back of Stanley hall. And Esther was thcro to keep tho tryst. "l'ou must not do this!" sho panted wildly when Arthur explained his, purpose. pur-pose. Hut Arthur laughed and paid her a brotherly compliment for her bright eyes and fair cheeks, set off all tho bettor for her agitation and tin beautiful whlto frock thnt sho had donned for tho tournament. "I will rldo wealing your favor, Esther, Es-ther, dear," said Arthur, and ho took tho silken sash sho woro and klssori her ond rodo nway, placing on hie mask as ho adjusted tho sash us n scarf. At Stanley hall Hagnr Impatiently waited for Esther, tho carrlago horses restless nt tho portals of tho mansion. "Whero havo you been," alio asked, "gathering flowers, 1 suppose?" For as an excuso Esther had hurriedly gathered n handful of roses to account for her delay. At tho Fnlrfnx fair grounds ail was bustlo nnd excitement Tho gentry wero driving lu nnd taking their seats In tho gnyly decorated grand stand. Already Wulr Stanley's mother, with her guests, Mrs. Burton Randolph of Richmond nnd the beautiful lady from Now York whom H'ntr wns nil otten tlon to, Vivian Marston, had taken tholr seats and wero smiling nnd nodding to friends nnd acquaintances. Sheriff Sam Swain was bustling about and In his heavy, lumbering wny teas Ing a hunchback organ grinder who, with a monkoy, had been the subject of much amusement on the tournament grounds. Sheriff Swain was Jocularly pretending he would arrest both the musician nnd his monkey, "mid he wnt shaking the otllclnl hnmlculTs at thcc coin gathering entertainers. And now the master of ceremonies' made the nniiouucomrni the masked knights were to till In n generil nielei with bamboo lances nt n small wreath suspended some twelve feet from tin-ground. tin-ground. Hiding nt full speed nt this object, the masked knight ulm inulil benr It off on his spear point wns to bo adjudged tho victor and ns the best horseman of nil the knights of Fairfax would crown tho maid of his choosing ns queen of lovo and beauty, nud also by tho presentation of great bouquets bou-quets ready at hand select tho queen's ittcndnnt ladies of honor. Tho bugles blew. Sheriff Swnln ns knight scncscbnl distributed tho lances, and the knights lined up far down tho track. Tho bugles blew ngaln, nnd on they came, twenty of them abreast, wearing tho sashes of their Indies, masked and plumed nnd nil Intent upon bearing off tho guerdou. Illnlr Stanley, on n light bay hunter, wearing tho crimson snsh favor of Vivian Marston, was In tho lend; closo behind was n knight on n white horso with n block star on lis forehead. A strnngo horse to Fulrfnx, whero every horso nnd man of blood Is known. What horvo was It. and who was tho rider? He wore a snow whlto Bcorf and sot his horse as became a Irglnla gentleman or perhaps u Kentucklan. . Illnlr In the lend swerved to block tho oncoming knights behind him, but tho stranger seemed to be prepared for tho ruse. Ho spurred his horso nrotind nnd crossed In tho ery front of Illnir. Tho shock threw tho bay hunter over, and Hlalr fell headlong to tho ground, and tho strnngo knight's spenr point lifted the wreath they strove for from tho wire. As Hlalr fell ho got n gllmpso of tho horseman who had unseated him, closo up. And then Hlalr Stanley kuow him. It wns Arthur Stanley! A surge of linto nnd humiliation raged rag-ed In tho bosom of Hlalr to bo unseated un-seated in the presence of Vivian Mur-aton, Mur-aton, to whom ho had boasted ho would bear off the wreath nud crown her on her first dny In Falrfnx ns queen of love nud beauty 1 Ho limped from the scene to where Sheriff Swnln stood by tho end or the grnnd stand, watching tho surprising end of the contest uud censing rom his clumsy Jesting with his handcuffs at Quabba. The defeated knights, with tho exception ex-ception of tho unhorsed Rlnlr, who hnd limped nway, ranged their horses In n semicircle nud held their lances nt salute. Arthur, bearing the queen's crown nml tho boiiiiuets. nniirnnched the whlto faced, tiembtlng Esther nnd sold In n feigned voice. "1 crown thee queen of lovo nnd beauty!" Then he present cd tho bouquets of tho ladles of honor to tho neatest women Vivian Marston nnd Mrs. Hurton Hnndolph. At tho fur end of tho grnnd stand the rnglng Hlnlr wns pointing to tho victor nnd saying, "That Is Arthur Stanley, tho murderer of Dr. Leo. Go and get him I" Hnrdly knowing what ho wns doing, but in nnger at tho clumsy, Jesting sheriff, n wild Idea to discomfit thnt ofllclul nnd the unhorsed Informer for tho snko of tho gallant looking victor seized Qunbbn. With a deft clutch of his quick lingers ho clasped tho dangling dan-gling end of tho ImmlculTs to the wrist of Hlalr. Tho other-end wns nrouud the sheriff's wrist, nud that eager official nud tho Informer were soon wildly pulling In opposlto directions. Lenvtng his orgnn nnd cnirylng tho frightened monkey In his nruiSj tho nlmblo hunch rJSJnj77SaKaBiftaBBaiaSaMMBaMKliyMyl mR 3uBhBYBSb1 ' i lot " BBBB9 And Esther Was There to Kaep the Tryst. bhek" ran through the grnnd stand nnd whispered his warning to Arthur At this very moment, obedient to a significant look from Hlalr's mother, bTW raf $LJIitv PMr. x aTTWA van JT, ' MA lBlMrik&n. It Was Arthur Stanleyl Mrs. Randolph and Vivian Marston had polnteill.v tlimvvn down the bouquets and had turned their backs on lather The queen "f lovo nnd beauty was un ncknowldlged uud dethroned. At tlih npcii nnd direct humiliation of tile duuk'liler of tlagar the v hole ns semblv grew still ns dentil nud the honrM- shunts of the handcuffed sheriff were In .ml, "Stop that man! He Is Arthur Stanley, wanted for murder!" A loud roar burst from the excited throng Men sprang to their feet nnd women serenliied. Arthur, nt the crj from Esther to save himself, run down tho nhle uml, clearing the mil nt n uouiiii. ruuiieu on ins iiuim.-, miiuk'iiihk tho reins from the negro lad ns lie did j so. Hut at the briique commands ot tho sheriff the mntkisl knights closed In on Aitliur and. hemming him round drove him and his horse toward the grnnd Maud, struggling, lighting fm life nnd llhertv To Ho ContlnuedN |
