Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-03-24
CHAPTER ".

CHAPTER ".
Evidently there was an understand
ing between these two strange crea
lures. and thereby an occult connec
ton with the ideas and doings of DR.
Etwald- What the trio were plotting
against Isabella and her lover remains
to be seen; but it can be guessed eas
ily that the message of the devil sticl
carried by Battersea to Dido was o.
some significance.
Battersea himself knew nothing o.
its esoteric meaning, but to the ne
gress the mention Of the emblem con-
veyed distinct understanding. She
let her arms fall listlessly by her side
and. with an unseeing gaze she stared
at the green trees bathed in hot sun
shine. After moment or so, she NUT
tered to herself in negro jargon, and
clenched her hands.
-Baal! the wand of sleep! the bring
er of DEATH"
What are you saying, Dido?" asked
Battersea. his feeble intellect scared
by the fierce gestures and the unknown
tongue.
Il say deep things which you no un-
derstan'. Look at ole Dido. you white
man"
Battersea whimpered, and, rubbing
one dirty hand over the other, did as
he was requested with manifest unwil-
lingness. With an intensity of gaze,
Dido glared at him steadily, and swept
her hands twice or thrice across his
face. In a moment or so the tramp
was in state Of catalepsy, and she
made use of his spellbound intelli-
gence to gain knowledge. There was
something terrible in her powers being
thus exercised in the full sunlight.
DE debble-stick. Whar is it?"
In the house of Major Jen. In a
little room, on the wall, with swords
and axes"
AS he said this in a monotonous tone.
Dido looked across the tree tops to
where the red roofs of "Ashantee"
showed themselves against a blue July
sky. She shook her fist at the distant
house, and again addressed herself i'm
periously to Battersea, commanding:
Tell ole Dido OBJ de debble- stick"
and blue stones set into the gold"
Dido bent forward, and touched the
tramp on his temples.
See widin dat stick" she muttered,
eagerly. Il wish to see."
There is a bag in the handle" re-
peated Battersea, with an effort. I'm
der the bag a long needle" then, after
a pause, the needle is hollow"
rs der poison in de bag, in de hol-
low OBJ de needle?"
mol" said Battersea, again. THE
poison is dried up!"
At this moment a noise in the house
disturbed Dido, and with pass or two
she released Battersea from the hyp-
MOTTO spell. He started, rubbed his
eyes, and looked drowsily at the tall
negress, who had resumed her impas-
sive attitude.
What have you been doing, Dido?"
he asked, stupidity.
"Obi?" was the brief reply. "You
hab told old Dido what she wish about
de debble- stick"
THE devil-stick," repeated the
in wide-eyed surprise. Il don't
know anything of it. DR.. Etwald met
me, and ses he, You go to Miss Dali
las and l ses, I does;' and he ses,
You'll see Dido and ses, I WILL and
he ses, Say to her Devil stick" an
ses, Right yare, sir But es to know
ing"
Dat nuffin!" said Dido, with lord
Iy wave of her hand. Il black; you
fv,
mex you do Obi uni"
What's Obi? What's you torkin'
of?" asked Battersea, rather nervous
y. "An' ow does you know 1 hev
black blood?"
"Obi say dat to me. Your mudder
olack?"
'Yah!" cried Battersea, derisively.
You're out Of 1t. My mother white:
,ut my father" here he hesitated, and
hen resumed-"Yes, you're right, Di-
10; my father was negro! A Seedee
10Y who was fireman on a liner"
Il hab seen dat" replied Dido, nod
ling her head. BLACK blood in youse,
m can do Obi on you. 1 send your
pirit to de house Of Massa Jen! You
ell me OBJ de debble-stick. But 1 take
are OBJ you. Now git to de kitchen;
lere am food for you"
The old mans eyes frightened in an
iclpation Of feast, and he shufled
If round the corner as quickly as his
.ge would allow him. Dido looked |
fter him for a moment, considering
he message he had brought from DR..
1twald. and then began to think Of
he devil-stick.
She knew very well what It was,
or her grandmother had been carried |
n as a slave from the west coast of |
Ifrica, and knew all about Ashantee |
orcery and fetish rites. These she |
ad repeated to her granddaughter, Di-
10, with the result that Dido, cherish
ng these recollections. knew exactly |
ow to use the wand Of sleep. She had |
poken about It to DR.. Etwald, quite |
znorant that Jen kept one as a curios-
ty and now Etwald had intimated |
through Battersea that he wished her
o DO something in connection with the
tick What that something might be.
DIDO. at the present moment. could not
uess.
She had exerted her magnetic and