The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-06-28

parrots.-somewliat rare birds from
NiReria--had been presented to Miss
Train by DR.. Blink, who occupied tho
next cottage. sophy's window looked
directly into tho garden. and there, az
she expected. pottered the doctor
a q, q his flowers. 2 tall lean man.
Doctor" she called out" Mrs. Rain
bow has laid an egg!'
Rainbow has laid mn eggg he repeat
ed. smiling. "Humph! A parrots
Iegg!" His face became grave
! "Humph!! l think you had better drop
Into the garden and have chat" he
said. slancing at tho pretty girlish
face framed in the Ivy which deco
rated the window. Its important"
Since going through the house would
mean an encounter with Mrs. Train.
her venturesome daughter took the
most direct way into the Doctors
grounds. The Ivy formed quite lad
der. with It's tough stems and many
stout tendrils, SO down this Sophy
clambered. with Mr.. Rainbow still
perched on her shoulder. When his
mistress was safely on the ground he
saluted DR.. Blink with his customary
cry.
.Jl;ju! Ju-,n!" cackled the parrot,
1 anu liuLteTeu Ills fWIHks. ts5t
quite so--quite so" nodded Blink.
with queer smile. "And there Is
more deuced ju-ju about your egg
| than you think, my friend"
What's that. doctor?" asked Sophy.
who was plncking q rose.
Come inside" commanded Blink,
CURLY, aud led the way.
The untidy sitting room was crowd
ed with natural history objects. What
with Its glass covered frame OF In
sects, its native masks. It's stuffed
| birds and animal skins. and grotcsque
! idols and brass anklets and fetish
sticks. 1t looked like a museum. On
I the walls were collections OF spears
and shields and skulls: photographs
| OF Nigerian scenes and mats OF twist
| ed grass gaily colored and queerly
patterned. Any one could have seen se !,
haunted the fringes OF empire.
Sophy, frequent visitor. loved these
| beginnings Of man. and hints OF dark
| doinKs in dark places. She swung her
self on to the table. looking dainty,
pretty, and entirely English. amongst
| the heterogeneous treasures OF the
| ethnologist.
Your mother tells me that you are
/ to marry that half-caste beast" said
| the doctor, brusquely and suddenly.
MOI. said Sophy. promptly ,she
1 wants me to, but / have refused. On!
can't you save me somehow? My moth
Ter does worry me so. You must know
something about 1veno Ridge likely
| to make mother change her mfnd?"
Blink shook his head IT don't k.ow
OF anything" he said. regretfully.
John Ridge, the trader. was married
4 right enough to Iveno's mother. She
was a Takum woman. who came to
j the Kwa Ibo River When her son
| was born she named Aim 1veno. after
| the town, and then bolted for the
| hush.'
.'why?" asked sophy. puzzled ana
/ interested.
Well" drawled Blink, crossing his
legs and making a triangle with his
| forefingers and thumbs, you can
| never wholly civillze niger. you
know. The black Mrs. Ridge was
baptized, I believe; but, all the same
4 she was a savage at heart. She took
Iveno to Takum for Ju-Ju..'
! What is Ju-ju. really?" asked
sophy. mfr. Rainbow is always saying
the word. ! use It myself without I'M
4 derstanding."
! ION the coast" explained the doctor.
slowly, "Ju-ju Is a name for agile OF
any sort. In many tribes. when boy
comes to the age OF fifteen. he is ini-
/ tiated In some way-becomes T. man
and a warrior. so to speak. by some
l}Voodoo ceremonies. don't know what
they are, but the neophyte takes dread
full oaths. and worships the evil prin-
\ ciple, and-and-well, don't know
4 what else.''
] And you think that Iveno has done
4 that?"
/ "Yes., said Blink, decidedly. "rhe
first Mrs. Ridge took him away 10 he
made a man of. In the Ju-ju style.
j Then she was knocked on the head
land at eighteen years Of age 1veno re-
turned to his father. who had him
I baptized and educated, and then sent
4 him to England. Afterwards Ridge
married Miss Ankle, the missionary's
daughter. She died In giving birth to
Frank. and malaria polished off Ridge
dater. Since Iveno was the elder son
4 (which is quite legally-Rudge left him
Z the money-five thousand a year, be-
4 llieve-and told him to look after
4 Frank. You know the rest. my dear.
4 II know that Frank is twenty years
4 younger than that horrid Iveno. and
i lthat the two brothers live at the
Grange. Iveno Is trying to become
wholly English. and SO wants to marry
me. He hates Frank"
4 81 know rejoined the doctor. un-
4 moved. '.He suspects that you love
him.
80 | do" cried sophy, jumping off
the table, "and Frank loves me-"
Then you may be certain that 1veno
will make things unpleasant
sophy looked doleful. II daresay,
i and for both OF us. unless you can
u help us. Oh. what am to do? she
i exclaimed hopelessly.
Hold your tongue, for one thing.
'.About whnt?"
About that parrots egs,"" said the
i doctor, graye!y.
Good gracious' Why?" asked
q Sophy, opening her eyes wide.
''Ju-ju!" croaked Mr.. Rainbow, VINO
q Twas exploring the room.
Blink nodded. There's your an
swer." he said, gravely---"'Ju-ju.'
4 Gophy demanded an immediate ex-
PLANTATION. and Blink as PROMPTLY re-
4 fused to give her one. All he said
was to relterate Ills warning about
keeping secretthe fact that Mrs, Rain
i bow had laid an egg. And when she
departed he whispered. softly; THAT
! 10, No ot,f 31yh n