Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-06-09

"Hes, but she did not know whaV sh !
was doing. Wait! Listen!" said Tsa-
| bella, much agitated. 81 told you false
| hoods before to shield my mother Now
that ! know you have discovered 50
much, that you are bent on Furnishing
Dr. Etwald l must tell you the truth,
SO that she may not be dragged down
to ruin. Come with me, Major Quick
ly!"
Without glancing towards the house,
| Isabella ran down a secluded path
which led through kind of shrubbery
to the flower garden, and then disap-
peared into a light cane summer house,
which was constructed in the Chinese
fashion and overgrown with greenery,
Major Jen followed her as rapidly rs
his more mature age would permit him.
Major" she said, when, somewhat
out of breath, he had taken his seat
beside her in the summer house, "al-
though l relate what inculpates my
mother, it is to save her that l do 50.
Both she and are in net woven by
Dido"
"Ah! poor Maurice always mistrust-
ed that negress."
He was right to do So oh, you do
not know what a terrible woman she
is For years both l and my mother
have been under her influence and
| have submitted to her will Now, l see
her in her true colors, and am deter
mined to speak the truth. Save myself
and my mother, Major for we are in
nocent. DR. Etwald and Dido are the
guilty persons"
the body"
Il can swear they did" said Isabella
with emotion Il have only been GER
tain of these things since our last in
| terview | lied to you then because
Dido said if told the truth she would
accuse my mother of the murder"
Il see," said Jen, thoughtfully, and
l can understand their motives. Dido
wished you to marry Etwad"
Yes; and it was to force my mother
into compliance with that desire that
the whole of these crimes were COM
mitted Dido"
"One moment Miss Dallas What
influence has Etwald over the ne
gress ?"
He is the possessor of the Voodoo
stone. 1t is a small black pebble of a
peculiar shape" explained the girl,
''and it was brought from Africa 20
Barbados over a hundred years ago.
The negroes believe that spirit dwells
in this stone, and that when it is wor-
shipped the indwelling devil can work
woe to those against whom the possess
sor of the stone bears malice You
can have no idea how the talisman is
venerated by all the blacks; they
would go miles to look on it to adore
it; they would burn down a city to
possess it; to gain it they would MUIR
der a hundred human beings Wen,
Or. Etwald was in Barbados some
years ago, and he gained possession Of
this Vodoo stone. He has used it
while here to intimidate Dido. While he
holds it, she win not dare to disobey
him. and all this plotting and assassi-
nation, designed to bring about my
marriage with Dr. Etwald, has been
designed by him, and carried out by
Dido, solely on account of his owner
ship of the Voodoo stone You know
that she calls him the great master!
Well, now you can guess the reason
for her servile worship of this man. ."
And how about the theft of this
devil -stick?"
"Oh, on the night 1t was stolen I was
seated on the verandah after dinner,
and l saw my mother come out with
Dido. They did not know l was there,
as | sat in the shade. l saw Dido
speak to my mother and point towards
your house. Then she waved her hands
before my mothers face, whereupon
my mother turned and walked swiftly
past where 1 was seated. l saw her
face; it was quite white, and her eyes
were open and CLASSY. When my
mother disappeared Dido re- entered
the house. At once-terrifed by my
mothers action-I ran down the little
path which leads to the gate, and fol-
lowed her out on to the road. She
went into your grounds by the postern
in the wall. l saw her cross the lawn,
and enter the smoking room, wherein
a lamp was burning. When she came
out, it was with the devil-stick in her
hand. l recognized it by the golden
handle. l reached home before she
did and again hid on the verandah
Dido re-appeared as my mother came
up the walk, and took the devil !
from her. Then she led her indoors"