The news=record. [volume] (Enterprise, Wallowa County, Oregon) 1907-1910, 1910-03-30

nothing, but watched and watched
when Maurice made q remark about
the stick.
"Oh. that is Uncle Jen's greatest
treasure" he said. smiling. He can
tell twenty stories about that Innocent
looking camel"
"Innocent-looking!" achoed Jen
taking down the green wand How
can you say such thing? Look here
Etwald." and he laid the stick on the
table. mo, don't touch It. man." he
added. hastily. there is plenty OF
venom In 1t yet 'Tis as dangerous as
snake bite. II you touch this slen-
der iron spike projecting from the end
you die!"
Again David noted that the tigerish
light leaped up In the eyes of Etwald
but he had sufficient control of his
features to preserve a look of courteous
curiosity. He carefully handled and
examined the instrument of death.
1t was little over a foot long. of a
hard-looking green wood: the handle
Of gold was coarsely moulded in bar
barrie fashion round the turquoise
stones, and these. Of all hues from
green to the palest of blues, were EN-
bedded like Jumps of quartz in the
rough gold. Round this strange imple-
ment there fingered a rich and heavy
perfume. sickly and sensuous.
See here!" said Jen, pressing, or
rather squeezing. tho handle. II tight
en- my grip upon this. and the sting
Of the serpent shows itself" Where
fxya oIa ot ~ =.
wood and saw tiny needle Of Iron
push itself out When Jen relaxed his
pressure on the gold handle. this iron
tongue slipped back and disappeared
entirely.
Il got thfs at Kumassie." explained
Jen. when he had fully exhibited the
gruesome mechanism Of the stick. 'It
belonged to the high priest. Whenever
he or the king disliked any man, who
was too powerful to be openly slain
they used this wand. What excuse they
made I don't know. but I suppose 1,
had something to do with fetish -wor-
ship. However. the slightest touch Of
this needle produces death!"
1T IL poisoned at the tip?"
mot exactly. The needle within II
hollow. and store OF poison is con.
tanned in the handle up here. wher
squeezed these turquoise stones pres.
q bag within. and the poison runi
down to the point Of the needle. Ir
fact. the whole Internal contrivance 1,
modelled upon a serpent's fang"
But II is quite harmless now" sait
David, as Jen replaced the wand in It.
nil thA
wouldn't have It there"
We'll. no doubt the poison has driec
up,o said Jen. with a nod. "All tn,
same I shouldn't like to prick myself
with that needle. Imight die," finished
the Major. with the naive simplicit,
| Of a child.
Etwald said nothing. with his eye,
fixed upon the devil-stick he meditat.
| ed deeply. The barrister, whose be.
lief was that Etwald knew more abou
the wand than he chose to say, watch.
ed him closely. He noticed that tn,
doctor eyed the stick. then, after {
pause. let his gaze wander to the fac,
OF Maurice. Another pause. and h,
was looking at David. who received
the fire OF this strange mans eye,
without blanching.
There was something SO mesmeri,
In the gaze that David felt uncomfort
able. and as though he were envelopet
In an evil atmosphere. To his sur.
prise. he found that his eyes also wer,
attracted to the stick. and a longing [,
handle It began to possess him. Clear
ly Etwald was trying to hypnotlze hin
for some evil purpose. BY an efror
| OF win David broke through thes,
nightmare chains and rose to his feet
The next moment he was In the oper
air. In the cold moonlight. breathin,
hard and fast.
Within. Maurice and the Major wer,
talking gaily. and the sound Of thei,
voices and laughter came clearly Il
the ears OF David. But silent In hi,
deep chair sat Etwald. and the burnin,
glance Of his eyes seemed to bean
| menacingly through the air, and com.
pei the young man to evil thoughts
David looked at Etwald dark ant
voiceless; and over his head. In tn,
yellow lamplight. he saw the glitter.
ing golden handle OF the devil stick.
CHAPTER Ill
Some little distance from the Major,
abode stood a long. low rambling house
on slight rise. Surrounded by deer
verandahs. It was placed In the mid.
die OF emerald green lawns. smooth,
clipped; and these. lower down, were
girdled by . belt Of ash. and syca
mores. and poplars. which shut ou,
the house from the high road. The
mansion. with its nat roof and wide
verandas had q tropical look. and In.
deed II had been built by a retired In.
dian nabob, at the beginning OF this
century. When he died the house had
been sold. and now Il was occupied BY
Mrs. Dallas. who leased II because Of
its suggestion Of tropical habitation
She came from the West Indies, and
had lived In Tho wigwam," a. the
house was called. for over ten years.
Mra Dallas was . large. fat. and
eninentiy lazy woman. who passed
most Of hor time In knitting, or Sleep
inE. or eating Her husband had died
before uhs had como to this country
and II was the desire to preserve hsl
daughters health which had brough,
her % far from the SUM- baked Island,
which her soul loved.
Her languid Creole nature and lsth-
argic habits were unsuited to brisk
practical grey skiss. the frequent alb
sence OF sunlight. and the lack OF rich
- "a