Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1910-03-17
CHAPTER XIV


was waiting them. How do you know
that EtwaId picked up the handker-
chief in the room ?"
Because I overheard his apology to
my mother for having put her hand
kerchief to such use" replied Isabella,
with suspicious promptitude.
Humph. Didu', the doctor think it
strange that he should find it there?
Rather peculiar, don't you think, see
ing that he must necessarily have been
ignorant Of your visit on that night"
He was not ignorant Of that. To
account for the fever which seized me,
my mother explained all that took
place to DR. Etwald He quite under
stood that I had dropped the handker-
chief"
Did he apologize for his use of it
before or after the explanation" was
Jen's final question.
After" replied Isabella, with some
hesitation; then abruptly left the Ma
lor's side to exchange a few words
with Dido. Jen looked after her with
glance full of doubt and suspicion.
Notwithstanding her love for Maurice,
and her expressed desire to avenge his
death by hunting down the assassin,
she appeared to be anything but frank
In the matter. In plain words her
conduct suggested to Jen's mind an
idea that she knew more than she
cared to talk about; and that such
half limited knowledge implicated her
mother. In which case-but here Dido
interrupted Jens meditatiOns.
My missy tell me you wish to hear
my Obi she said, abruptly fixing her
eyes on the face of the visitor. why
you wish? You laugh at Obi"
Il don't particularly wish to learn
your Voodoo secrets" answered Jen,
carelessly. All desire to know is
why YOU manufactured that scent
with which you saturated a certain
handkerchief of your mistress"
Mothers handkerchief, Dido" eX
planned Isabella, interrupting. The one
you bound round my head"
"Oh. dat Voodoo smell to drib away
de evil spirit" said Dido solemnly ad-
dressing herself more particularly to
the Major. My witch mudder, she
learn TO make dat in her own land
Too much of it ll-kll-kill!"
BY means of its odor?"
NO dat only drib away bad debbils
But you scratch de skin wild one leetle
bit of it, and you die, die, die"
And the scratch is made by means
of the wand Of sleep?'
'.Yis. Dat so" said Dido with pre-
tended surprise, turning on him sharp
~. But you no blieve in Obi, massa
What you know of de wand of sleep
de debble-stick?"
Because had one. Dido"
The negress laughed with scornful
doubt.
To, dat one big lie. Der amt no
dabhle-stick, but in the kings palace
at Eumassi"
You are wrong. had one, and it
was stolen by
WHIT, of course interrupted Isabel
Ia again. Don't you remember, Dido
you were asked if you had taken it?"
'Ho yes Now I do tinll" said Dido
All massa, you say l took de debble-
stick and made de new smell to fill
him. Den dat I kill wild him massa
who dubbed Ill missy, and dat made
spells in your house to steal de body
Hey. dat no SOP"
ut certainly is So" assented Jen, as
touished to hear her put his suspicious
into such plain words Mr.. Aylmer
was killed 10y means or this poison 1t
was used again to render my servant
insensible while the body was stolen
So | thought"
L know. I knOw!" broke in Dido
impatiently. But dat not to do with
nre. De poison in your debbIe-s stick"
There was; but it was all dried up"
"Nol Dat nossin. If you pour water
dat stick taken, but l no take it, Dat
poo young massa killed wild it no
Kill him But de odder ting, sab. Dat
smell I mex it for missy. dat ALL"
And having made this explanation.
Dido folded her arms and waited in
scornful silence to hear what her ac-
cuser had to say. He considered the
absolute absurdity of her story. which
-on the face of twas manifest in
ventfon, and one which, it would seem.
was supported by the testimony of Isa-
bella
You are satisfied now I think" said
this latter, seeing that the Major did
not speak.
Wei. yes, Miss Dallas" returned he.
with much elaboration. I am salts
fied-for the time being"
Does Dido's explanation give you
any clue?"
1T gives me a clue in direction for
which l should not have looked for it.
Thank YOU, Miss DaHas-and you. Di-
do. / shall now say good day"
When will you return?"
When ! have followed to its end the
clue of which we have been speaking '
replied Jen, and taking off his hat. he
walked swiftly away from the house.
When he vanished round the curve
Of the drive. Isabella, with a very pale
face turned towards Dido
4 have told all the lies You wished
me to ten' she said hurriedlv. y
have hidden from the sharp eyes Of
Major Jen those things which Won
wished hidden, and all at the cost of
my honor and honesty"
She ran hastily into the house. as
though 10 escape further conversation
on distasteful subject. while Dido.
with her eyes on the ground. remained
in deep thought. The old negress knew
that She was placed in perilous posi-
ton, which might be rendered even
more 50, should Isabella speak freely.
But of this she had little fear. as bv
her converse ton with Major Jen the
girl had gone forward upon path OF
concealment whence there was now no
retreat Yet Dido was not satisfied
She did not trust those around her. snd
she was uneasy as to what might be
the result of Jen's pertinacity II in
vesttgating both the death OF Maurice
and the disappearance Of the body
Thus perpleNed. it occurred to her tC
seek out and consult with DR.. Etwald
i shall tell the master all she NUT
tered ia her own barbaric dialect "'anc
he viii tell me what to do. The spiri
in the Noodoo stone will tell him"
Having come to this resolution. She
Went into the house to ask, or rather
TO demand, permission to visit Dean,
minister. That she was about to cal
upon EtwaId, the negress did not thinl
it necessary 20 tell Mrs. Dallas. There
were ma tiers between her and the doc.