Heppner gazette. [volume] (Heppner, Morrow County, Or.) 1892-1912, 1910-03-17
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nothing, but watched and watched
when Maurice made remark about
the stick
"Oh, that is Uncle Jen's greatest
treasure" he said, smiling He can
tell twenty stories about that innocent
looking camel"
Innocent -looking!" achoed Jen,
taking down the green wand. How
can you say such thing? Look here,
Etwald," and he laid the stick on the
table. NO don't touch 1t, man." he
added, hastily. there is plenty of
venom in it yet IT'S as dangerous as
snake bite. If you touch this slen-
der iron spike projecting from the end,
you die!"
Again David noted that the tigerish
light leaped up in the eyes of Etwald,
but he had sufficient control of his
features to preserve a look of courteous
curiosity. He carefully handled and
examined the instrument of death.
1t was a little over a foot long, Of a
hardlooking green wood the handle
of gold was coarsely moulded in a bar
barrie fashion round the turquoise
stones, and these, of all hues from
green to the palest of blues, were en-.
bedded like Jumps of quartz in the
rough gold. Round this strange imple-
ment there fingered rich and heavy
perfume, sickly and sensuous.
See here!" said Jen, pressing, or
rather squeezing, the handle Il tight
en- my grip upon this, and the sting
of the serpent shows itself" Where
upon Etwald glanced at the end of the
wood and saw a tiny needle OF iron
push itself out. When Jen relaxed his
pressure on the gold handle, this iron
tongue slipped back and disappeared
entirely.
Il got this at Kumassie." explained
Jen. when he had fully exhibited the
gruesome mechanism of the stick TT
belonged to the high priest. Whenever
he or the king disliked any man, who
was too powerful to be openly slain
they used this wand. What excuse they
made l don't know, but l suppose it
had something to do with fetish wor-
ship. However, the slightest touch Of
this needle produces death!"
TT is poisoned at the tip?"
Not exactly. The needle within is
hollow, and store of poison is con-
tained in the handle up here. When
squeezed these turquoise stones press
a bag within, and the poison runs
down to the point of the needle. In
fact. the whole internal contrivance is
modelled upon a serpent's fang"
But 1t is quite harmless now" said
David, as Jen replaced the wand In its
old place on the wall. "else you
wouldn't have it there"
We'll. no doubt the poison has dried
up" said Jen, with a nod. "All the
same l shouldn't like to prick myself
with that needle. might die" finished
the Major, with the naive simplicity
Of a child.
Etwald said nothing. With his eyes
fixed upon the devil stick, he meditat-
ed deeply. The barrister, whose be-
lief was that Etwald knew more about |
the wand than he chose to say, watch |
ed him closely He noticed that the |
doctor eyed the stick, then, after a |
pause, let his gaze wander to the face |
If Maurice. Another pause, and he |
was looking at David, who received
he fire of this strange mans eyes
without blanching.
There was something so mesmeric |
n the gaze that David felt uncomfort-
lble, and as though he were enveloped /
n an evil atmosphere. To his sur
Prise, he found that his eyes also were
to the stick, and longing to
handle it began to possess him. Clear
y Etwald was trying to hypnotic him
or some evil purpose. BY an effort
# will David broke through these
nightmare chains and rose to his feet
rhe next moment he was in the open
ir. in the cold moonlight. breathing
ard and fast.
Within. Maurice and the Major were
alking gaily. and the sound of their
oices and laughter came clearly to
he ears of David. But silent in his
eep chair sat Etwald. and the burning
lance of his eyes seemed to beam
lenacingly through the air, and COM
el the young man to evfl thoughts
,avid looked at Etwald dark and
oiceless; and over his head, In the .
elbow lamplight, he saw the glitter
lg golden handle of the devil-stick. ,