Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-04-21

court, she would not have given evil
dence against the holder Of the Voodoo
Stone"
Dat So" said hoarse voice at the
door.
The three people turned. and saw
Dido. with an expression of triumph
on her dark face, enter the room
'Didoi" cried Isabella. You did not
run away?"
NO, missy, I tell de truth against
dat man"
But the Voodoo Stone" said Jen,
wondering what she meant.
Dido opened her clenched fist. The
Voodoo Stone lay in the palm of her
hand.
How she became possessed of the
Voodoo Stone, Dido refused to say.
Jen had learned from Inspector Arlzel
that Etwald wore the talisman on his
watch charm, and he wondered in what
fashion Dido had contrived to penetrate
into the prison and to obtain it from
the doctor The whole result of the
trial depended upon the transfer of the
stone. If Etwald kept it, Dido would
not dare to give evidence against him,
and so, in the absence of discriminating
details, he would go free. AS it was,
the stone was now in the possession of
Dido and for some reason, which Jen
was unable to fathOm, she was quite
content to betray her share in the plot
By changing hands the Voodoo Stone
had transformed Dido into a traitress.
However, as the advantage derived
from the transfer was all on the side
of the prescription, Jen did not think
it wise to inquire too closely into the
means which Dido had employed to re-
gain the talisman. He saw nothing of
David, who pointedly kept out of his
way. He made no Inquiries of Dido,
and simply informed the Inspector that
the negress was ready to explain Ell
wald's secrets, without telling him why
she was willing to do so.
When the trial came on, and after
the evidence had been given, everyone,
without exception, looked upon the
prisoner as guilty, and they considered
it futile when David Sarby rose to de-
liver his speech for the defence. The
young man was even paler than usual
and when he rose laid down the devil
stick, at which ne had been looking.
When on his feet he glanced round the
court and caught the gaze of Isabella,
who was staring eagerly at him. Then
he turned to his client. DR. Etwald
sl>iled coldIy on his counsel. David
shuddered, and picking up the devil
stick, spoke sharply and to the point
My lord and gentlemen of the jury
You have heard the evidence, which
makes out that my client is guilty
That evidence is wrong, as can be
ness. In my rooms there is lying a
confession, signed and witnessed
which sets forth that 1 am the guilty
person. 1t was I, not EtwaId, who
murdered Maurice Aylmer. Yes I
was in love with Miss Dallas, and
therefore was jealous of Maurice I
knew that Dido possessed the devil
stick-and I bribed her to give it to
me- 1 pretended to go to the city on
the night of the murder, but, instead
of doing so, l remained in the grounds
of Mrs. Dallas, where l obtained the
devil-stick from Dido. 1 saw Maurice
meet with Miss Dallas. I saw them
kiss and part. Inflamed by jealousy
I rushed after him and met him on the
road He turned in surprise, and flung
out his arms to keep me off. The dew
| il-stick, with it's poison fang protrud-
ing, was in my grasp, and in throwing
out his arm I wounded him in the palm
of the hand, thus
David took the devil-stick firmly in
his grasp and compressed the handle
At once the iron tongue. with its drop
of venom, appeared. With the sharp
point he made an irregular wound Oh
the palm of his hand. and cast the
devil-stick on the table before him A
moment afterwards, amid the silent
horror of the crowded court, he eer
down-dead.