Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-02-17


Germ, and, putting all other business on
one side, he came back to "Ashantee"
in the dog cart. Before seeing Jen, ne
went up 20 AyImer's room and exam
ined the body Of the unfortunate young
man. Having satisfied himself so far
as he was able he came down to the
library, where Jen awaited him.
Wen, Etwald." cried the Major,
when ne saw the tai form Of the doc
tor at the door, have you seen him ~
Il have seen it," corrected Etwald.
with professional caImness, the poor
fellow is dead, Major-dead from
blood poisoning"
4 knew it; I guessed 1.-THE devil
stick"
That may be-" rejofned EtwaId, TAX
ing a seat, but cannot be sure. You
see neither you nor I know anything
Of the poison which was in the han
die Of that African instrument. It
But what are you talking Off broke
In Jen, impetuously. You say that
my poor boy died from blood poison
ing. How else could he have come by
that, save through being touched or
81 bCh Will TIE u6NIl-SlACh- NO one
in the nefghborhood was likely TO pos
sess any weapon likely to corrupt the
blood. If Maurice had been stabbed,
or shot, could understand the crime;
but as it is, the person who stole the
devil-stick must have killed him"
And who stole the devil stick?"
asked Etwald, coolly IF I forget not.
Major, you asked me the other day if
l did. l was no friend of the dead
man; I did not like him, nor he me-
We both loved the same woman-we
were rivals. What then so easy as for
you to say-for jury to beIieve-that
I had stolen the devil stick and killed
Mr.. Aylmer, so as to get him out of
the way
Il never thought of such a thing"
protested Jen. Z do not suspect you"
Then whom do you suspect" ask
ed Etwald, fixing his dark eyes on the
! Major.
"Dido-the negress of Mrs. Dali
| las!"
That is ridiculous. The commits
sion of crime presupposes a motive.
Now what motive had Dido to kill
your friend?
she hated Maurice and she did not
want him to marry Miss Dallas"
Neither did I, if I remember right
ly," said Etwald, dryly. By the way,
l suppose you will have detective to
sift the affair to the bottom? Mr.. Sar-
by is in the city. Why not wire him"
If I thought that But" added
Jen, breaking off, how do you know
where David is?"
OH" rejoined Etwald, quietly, Mr..
| Aylmer told me so tonight"
Moonlight" echoed Jen, starting I'D
You saw Maurice tonight"
Certainly. About at hour and a half
before he was murdered. At my house"
replied the doctor with great deIiber-
alton.
$50 it was you whom he went to see
on business tonight?
Il don't know if you call it BUST
ness. I asked Mr.. Aylmer to call and
see me, and sent the message by that
tramp named Battersea."
Il remember his coming. Go on.
please"
Mr.. Aylmer called, as I said" con-
| tinued Etwald. And then 1 told him
that Miss Dallas was i'll from being
prevented by her mother from seeing
him. That I was sorry for the poor
young lady. and that gave up my po-
sition as a rival In fact" added the
doctor, q advised Mr. Aylmer to see
Miss Dallas and marry her as soon as
he could"
| But why did you wish to act in this
| generous manner"
For the very simple reason that
Miss Dallas is of a delicate and ner-
vous constitution" said Etwald. IF
she does not marry Mr.. Aylmer. with
whom she is in love, she may die. I
quite forget that I should speak in the
past tense now, Major Mr.. Aylner is
dead, and Miss Dallas may pine away
| of grief. 1t was to prevent such a ca
tastrOphe from occurring that I sur
rendered my claim to her hand"
Very generous of you indeed" said
Jen, ironically; but I do not see why
you should behave in such a noble
manner when you were so much in
love with the girl"
1T is for that reason that I changed
my mind. AS you know, I have been
| attending upon Mrs. Dallas this week
and l saw plainly enough that my
case was hopeless; that the girl was
| dying to marry Aylmer. Besides" add
ed Etwald, CarelessIy, the mother was
not on my side"
She wants Isabella to marry Da-
vid."
so I hear; and he is in town, as
Mr.. Aylmer told me tonight. But
what are you going to do about the
matter, Major?"
Give notice to the police"
There will be a post-mortem. of
| course" said Etwald, carelessIy.
NO. no! I hope not" cried Jen.
Mortified at the idea.
But there must be-" insisted Eft
valid, cruelty. "AyImer died of poison.
and it must be proved that such was
| the case. Then we may learn If he
persisted from the poison of the devil
| stick. Afterwards you must get a de-
tective to search for the person who
sole it from your smoking-room. Once
he or she is found, and the assassin of
your poor friend will be in CUSTODY. +"
He or She repeated Jen, slowly.
Dido I mentioned; but 'he.' who is
| hep"
All that is what we wish to find
out" said the doctor, gravely. But
how do know? Battersea may be the
thief"
The thief and the murderer"
Wen. no, Major, On second thoughts
do not think it is wise to couple
those two words as yet. The thief may
not be the murderer-but what can /
say" broke off Etwald, suddenly. LAS
yet we know nothing. 1t is late now,
Major, and must get back Shall /
give information to the police?"
If you will be so kind" said the
Major, listlessly, and he let the doctor
so away without another word.
All through that long night he knelt
beside the bed upon which lay the
corpse Of the man whom he had loved
as son. The Major was broken heart
ed by the sorrow which had come up
on him, and when he issued from the
chamber of death he looked years old
| ed than when he entered if