Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930, 1910-03-17
X.

murdered. There was hardly a person
of consequence in the county who
could not claim at least a bowling &C
quaintance with him. Moreover, Maui
rice was one of those men who are al
ways popular, and much sympathy
was manifested for his untimely death
! Also the mysterious way in which he
/ had come to his end, the absence of
any known motive, and the knowledge
that the deceased had no enemies-al
these things combined to raise public
curiosity to the highest pitch.
Crowds of people came from all
parts of the country to view the scene
of the crime, and, if possible, to gain a
glimpse of Jen and David, who as rel
atives of the deceased were notorious
for the time being; but thanks to the
presence of the police and the vigil
lance of Jaggard, the morbid crowd OF
sightseers were unable to crafty their
curiosity. The two men remained in
seclusion, and saw no n save Dr.. Eft
valid. A sympathetic message arrived
from Mrs. Dallas, which, considering
the way she had behaved towards
Maurice the Major regarded as a
! gratuitous insult.
Cant she let the poor man rest in
his grave?" said Jen, w~rathfully. 1t
is all through her opposition to the
match that this has come about!"
ooh, you can't say that, Uncle Jen,'
demonstrated David.
Yes, I can, sir. If Maurice had not
been prevented from seeing Isabella,
there would have been no necessity
for him to call on Etwald; and if he
had not lone that, he would not have
been on the high-road in the night to
meet with his death. Mrs. Dallas and
her Internal negress are at the bottom
Of this whole accused business"
Of course this was mere raving on
the part Of Jen, but the poo man was
beside himself with grief at the loss of
Maurice, and hardly knew what he
was saying. Being in this frame of
mind, he was by no means pleased
when shortly after the delivery of Mrs.
Dallas message Dido made her ap-
pearance with a request for a person
al interview.
81 shan't see that black WITCH" cried
the poor Major. "David-Etwald, send
her away"
Il wouldn't if I were you, Major!"
said Etwald, judiciously; "she might
be the bearer Of valuable information,
likely to lead to the detection Of Ayl-
mer's assassin"
David left the room and remained
absent for some time. On his return
he stated that Dido had come with a
message from Isabella, and that she
refused to deliver it to anyone save
the Major. Seeing that the negress
was thus insistent, and wondering
what Miss Dallas might want with
him at so painful a time, Jen yielded,
and Dido was admitted into the Ii
brary. She looked taller, more mas
sive, and more sullen than ever, and
though she trembled at the sight of
DR.. Etwald-who, by the way, kept his
dark eyes studiously fixed on her-she
was fairly composed when she ad-
dressed the Major.
MY Ill missy want you, sar," said
Dido, going straight to the point. "She
weepI She i'll! She make terrible
Robbery, dat poo girl. Massa come an
see my lii missy dis day."
81 can't at present! The police are
in the house; there is a lot to be at
tended to. Tell your mistress, Dido,
that I'll see her Tomorrow"
"She wants you to-day!" insisted
Dido, o~bstinately. .
L have given you the message said
Jen, sharply. Tell her I'll see her to-
D-orrow. And now, Dido, I want to
know what you have to do with this
crime?"
Il, massa, Ole Dido she do muffin.
Massa Maurice he die Voodoo! Oh,
yes!"
by that devil-stick poison?'
ME don't know what debble-stick
is! 1 no touch him!"
1t was clearly impossible to learn
anything from so obstinate a creature.
so Jen repeated that he would call up
on Isabella on the morrow, and dis
missed the .negress. AS she left the
room DR.. Etwald followed her, and on
his return mentioned casually that he
had been giving Dido some instruc-
tons as to what was to be done with
Isabella.
The girl is n%ervously excited" he
explained; and now that she has sus-
tanned this shock of Mr.. Aylmer's
death there is no knowing what COM
plications may ensue."
You are a prophet of evil, Etwald!
First, my poor Maurice, now Miss Dali
las"
A to that replied Etwald. with
elaboration, Il foretell that Miss Dali
las may get i'll from perfectly natural
signs. She vas in love with Aylmer;
she is of a highly eXcitable and ner-
vous character, so it is easy to know
that unless great care is exercised, her
brain may be affected"
But with regard to Maurice?"
quite a different thing. I read in
his hand hat he would be subject to
a state of Life in Death
Which, as we guessed, meant par
alysis or catelepsy," said David. But,
you see, poor Maurice is dead. Your |
prOphesy was false"
1T would seem SO. Mr.. Aylmer is
dead, as you say; so the term Life In
Death cannot be applied to his pres
ent state of non-eXistence. But you
will admit that I foretold that evil
would happen to him if he decided to
marry Miss Dallas. 1t has turned out
- 7 - 4