•
• /
•
The Devil-Stick
CHA1TI.II II
(Continued.)
"«'orn*. com», toy»'"
Jen, an-
t«»y«-,| at thia »■ ene between two hot*
¡«railed young torn, who wer* not yet
gift««! with the relf restraint of •«-
¡»••fieri« <•
"Don't talk like thia
Tou
are at my table Theta la a stranger,
or ahall 1 aay a friend, present!"
"Hay a friend." observed
Ktwald.
calmly, ''although I am about lo aay
that which may cause these two you»»
gentleman to look upon me aa an en-
•rny
“What do you mean?“ naked Mau
rice. turning hl* still frowning face to
ward* this strange ami enigmatic man
"What I aay, Mr Aylmerl
You —
admire Miss Dalia»“'
“Why bring her name Into the ques
tion? Yes. I admire Mlaa Dalian"
“And you. Mr Harhy. I can tell from
your attitude, from your look, you
lova Mlaa Irnlina“
David was taken aback
by thio
strange «peaking
"Yea
I I I do love Mias Dalia*."
“I guessed aa much." resumed Et-
weld, with a cold smile. “Now It ta
atrange
”
“It la strange that a lady's name
should lie thus Introduced." said Jen.
annoyed at the lone of the conversa
tion. 'Teart us drop the subject"
"One moment, Major.
I wish
us
three to understand one another"—
here ths doctor h«-eltated. then went
on In an Impaaalve voice
about Mlaa
Del la*!"
"Why do you *|»eak of herT" sake«!
Maurice, fiercely. while David looked
lowerlngly at Elwald.
"Because I love her!"
“You love her!"
The two young men buret out sim
ultaneously with ths speech In tones
of sheer astonishment, and stared at
Ktwald aa at eome strange animal
That this elderly man Ktwald
was
midway between thirty an«! forty, but
that lookcil elderly to these boys of
twenty-five should dare to lovs Isa
bella Dallas was a thing unheard of
Hhe so young, so Imautlful; he so eom>
I »er. pale, and worn with Intellectual
vigils, with a mysterious past, a doubt
ful pr. s.-nt. an«t a pr«ibl«-matlc future
Maurice and David, divided the one
against the other by their passion for
the same woman, united In a feeling
of rage and contempt against this In
terloper. who dared to make a thlr«!
In their worship of
llabclla.
They
looked at Ktwald, they looked at one
Another, and Anally both began
to
laugh
Jen frowned nt the sound of
ghelr mirth, but Ktwald. In nowise
discomposed, sat unsmtllngly In
hla
sent waiting for further developments
“Oh, It Is too absurd!" said Maurice,
resuming his scat-
"Why?"
Fitwahl put the question with the
grralist calmness. stared steadily at
the young man. and walled for the re
ply. which ho knew would be difficult
to make.
touching a vicious-looking sit
“Thia
Is a sacrlflcal aae; this murderous-
looking blade Is tho sword of the exe
cutioner of King K«»tf«-e. and this."
here* he laid his Anger lightly upon a
slender stick of green woo«!, with a
golden top set roughly with large tur
quoise stones, "I* a poison wand*"
"A poison■ wand!" *choed Ktwald. a
sudden light showing In hla cold eyes
’! never heard of such a thing"
Ihtvld. who was watching him. had
an Instinctive feeling that Ktwald wa*
telling a lie.
lie saw that the man
could hardly keep hla seel for hla ea
gerness to examine and handle lhe
strange weapon
However, be
aal«l
nothing, but watched an«!
watch*«!,
when Maurice made a remark about
III* stb k
"Oh. that Is I'nda Jen's greatest
treasure." he aald. smiling.
'll* can
tell twenty stories about that Iniiocenl-
lookln* cane'"
“Innocent-looking'"
uchoed
Jen.
taking down the green wand
“How
can you say such a thing? Ixvok here.
Ktwald.” and he lal«l ths stick on the
table
"No. don't touch It, man." he
added, hastily, "there Is
plenty
of
venom In II yet "Ha as dangerous aa
a snake Idle
If you touch this sl«m-
der Iron spike projecting from tho end.
you die!"
Again David noted that lhe tigerish
light leaped up In the eyes of Ktwald.
but he had • iffideiit «ontrol of his
features to preserve a look of courteous
curiosity.
He carefully handled and
« vnmlned the Instrument of death.
It was a lltlle over a fool long, of a
hard-looking green wood; the handle
of gold was coarsely moulded In a bar
baric fashion round
the
turquols*
stones, and these, of all hues from
green to the palest of blues, were em
bedded like lumps of quarts In
the
rough gold
Round thia strange Imple
ment there lingered a rich and heavy
perfume, sickly and sensuous.
"He* here!" said Jen. pressing, or
rather *<|ii<cstng. the handle. "I tight -
«n my grip upon this, and the sting
of th* serpent shows Itself!" Where
upon Ktwald glanc«-«! at the end of the
wood an«! saw a tiny needle of Iron
push Itself out When Jen relaxed hl*
pressure on the gold handle, this Iron
tongue slipped back and disappeared
entirely.
"I got this at Kumasole," explained
Jen. when h* had fully exhibit*«! the
gruesome mechanism of the stick
"It
l«*longe<l to the high priest. Whenever
h* or the king dislike«! any man. who
was too powerful to be openly slain,
they used this wand. What excuse they
made I don't know, but 1 Suppose It
had something to do with fetish-wor
ship. However, the slightest touch of
this needle produce* d««ath'"
"It I* poisoned at th* tip?"
"Not exactly. The needle within I*
hollow, and a store of poison Is con
tained In the handle up hero. When
squeesed these turquoise stones press
"Oh. because—because——"
a l>ag within, and the poison
run*
"Never mind explaining. Mr. Alymer down to th* point of the needle
In
I can guess your objection. I am too fact, the whole Infernal contrivance I*
old -too
plain -too poor
for
this model*«! upon a serpent's fang '•
charming young lady.
You. on the
"But It la quite harmless now," said
contrary, are young, passing well off, David, aa Jen replaced the wand In its
ami handsome, all the gifts of fortune old pine* on
lhe
wall,
"else you
are on your side. Decidedly," added wouldn't have It there"
the doctor, "you hold the beat hand
"Well, no doubt th* potson has dried
Well, ws ahall s«-e who will win thia up." said Jen, with a nod
"All the
gums- aa wa may call It."
same I shouldn't like to prick myself
"And what about ms’" salt! David with that need!*. I might die." finished
“Tou forget that I am a third player the Major, with the naive simplicity
Come. Ktwald. you have
propheale«! of a child.
about Maurice; now read my fata"
Ktwald said nothing
With hla eyes
“No.” said Ktwald. rising. "Wo have Axed Upon the devil-stick, he medttat-
lathe«! long enough on thia subject. It ed deeply.
The barrister. wh«»ae t«e-
la plain that we three men are In love llef was that Ktwald knew more about
with the same woman You can't blame th* wand than he chose to say. watch
me. nor I you. Mlaa Dallaa la a Suffi- ed him closely.
II* noticed that th*
•»•lently beautiful Ml« use for our mad- ductor eyed th* stick, then, after a
eieaa.
I spoke out. simply because I pause, let hla gaxe wander to the face
want you both to understand the posi of Maurice.
Another pause, and he
tion.
You are warmwl. anil wa can was looking at David. who received
now do battle for the amtlee of this th* Are of this Strang* nun's eyes
charming lady.
l.et th* best
man without blanching.
win!"
There was something so mesmeric
"Nothing could b* fairer than that.' In the gaxe that !>avld felt uncomfort
•aid Jen. quickly; “but I agree with able. and as though he were enveloped
To hie sur
you. doctor, that the subject has been In an evil atmosphere.
sufficiently discussed; but. Indent. If prise. he found that hie eyre also wer*
you will pardon mo saying
so.
Il attracted to th* stick, and a longing to
should never have been begun
l.et us handle It began to p«iasesa him. Clear
ly Ktwald was trying to hypnotls* him
go to ths smoking room."
Thither the three young men went In for some evil purpose. By an effort
through
these
the wake of the Major. It was a com of will Ikavld broke
fortable rmim, with on* wl«l* window, nlghtmar* chains and roe* to hla feet
which at th* present moment
was The next moment he was In th* open
open. Outside th* light of th* newly- •Ir. In the cold moonlight, breathing
risen moon bathed lawn and trees and hard and fast.
Rower* In a A o « h ! of cold silver; and
Within. Mauric* and th* Major were
th* warm radiance of th* lamp poured talking gaily, and th* sound of th*lr
out ray* of gold Into th* wonderful voices and laughter cam* clearly to
white world without. The thre* men tho ears of lMvl«l But silent In hla
Mt down In comfortable chair*.
deep chair sat Ktwald. and the burning
Helf-contatned as ever, Ktwald look glanc* of hla eye* seemed to beam
ed up at th* wall near him, and *eem- menacingly through ths air, and com
ed to b* considering a decoration of pel th* young man to *v!l thoughts
•avag* arms, which looked barbaric Ikivld looked at Ktwald
dark
and
and wild, between two oil paintings
voiceless, and over hla head, tn the
When Jen came back with th* cigar* yellow lamplight, he saw ths glitter
his gas* followed that of his guest, and ing golden handle of th* devil-slick.
he mad* a remark about th* weap
on*
CHAPTER III
Home llttl* distance from th* Major's
"All tho** came from Ashant** and
abed* stood a long, low rambling house
the West Coast e< Afrlc*
said
he
rm a slight rise
n irrounn«u! by dea*
COUNCILMEN AT *&0 EACH.
v*ran«laha. Il was pla«*«l In lhe mid
dle of emerald green lawns, emoolbly Regular Pr«c* for Pittsburg Oraftar*
; clipped; and these, lower down, wer*
>n Smail Deal*.
. gl' lhd by a belt of ash. and ■>«*-
: mor**, and poplar*, which abut nut
Pittstairg, March 23.
Nine mor*
th* house from th* high road
Th*
form*r memlwrs of the councils, be
mansion, with Ils Hat roof and wi4*
! vers nilas had a tfvpfaal look, and In- fore the district attorney today, ctm-
deed It had tieen built by a retired In fessed their guilt in accepting money
dian nabob, at th* beginning of this for their votes while members of the
| century. When he died the house liad
I been s«t|«l. and now it was occupied by municipal btstitw and before Judge R.
i Mrs liwllaa. who fatsed It twause of S. Fraser received the immunity t«a!h
Its euggcatlon of tropical habitation of a suspended sentence.
Hhe cam* from the West ln«l λ1*, «nd
Wh»n the grand jury adjourned f««r
had lived In Tti# WI« watn."
the
the day just before .1 o'clock, it had
house
CMlJcd, foir over ton >»•» m
M«a Da H ao
il letr*», f.aL »nd returned no indictments, sltltough it
eminently lasy woman, who
passed hsd listerwd for hours to d«v*lup«nents
: most of her time In knitting, or sleep- in lhe briliery scandal even more sen
! in».. or rating. Her husband had died sational tlum those brought out yester
I l«cfor* she h*«1 com* to thia «‘«»unity, day. Men admitted selling their honor
; and it was the Uc*:re to preserve her for from >’>“ up.
«laughter's hrallh wbk-h bid I.«ought
John F. Klein was before the grand
her so far from th«- * in-baked Islands jury the greater part of the day and
which her soul loved.
continued hi* narrative of rounciimanie
Her languid Creole nature and leth graft.
Klein recounted *<»me of hi*
argic habits were unsultr-d to brisk,
exj«ri*nces in handing out the money
practical grey skies, the frequent ab
to the councilmen.
sence <«f * »light, and thu la. k of rich
"There was one fellow," he said,
ami sensuous
coloring
Often
she
threatened to return Io Harba«lo*s, t«ut "who wag a daisy a regular Shylock
In the South Seventh
she was too lagy to make the effort of f«>r the dough.
lie
• gain settling herself In life
With ail street business I handed him $M1.
her longings for the fairy Islands of looked at me for a full minute and
the West, she was out of place In this then yelled like a stuck pig for the
extra 10 cents.
You know ¿11.10 was
northern land, sod so wag Dido. '
Thia latter was a tall and massively the standard price in that deal.
Well,
framed negro woman, with very little he got the 10 rents all right."
of th* black al>out her
Kha looked
rather Ilka a priestess, with her stern
face and stately mien; and. Ind**«t In
the West Indies, It was known among
the negro«-» that Did«» was high
In
power .i-nwng the votaries of DM
Hhs
could chxnm. She could slay by means
Chicago. March 23. Simultaneously
of VcgetaldS potaoix ami she could
with lhe grand jury’s
indictment
as the negroes Atmly believed cause against the so railed l»eef trust, rattle
a human being tn dwindle, peak, and
on the hoof at the stockyards advanced
pine, by means of Incantations.
15 cents per hundred jvounda and some
This black Canldla had left a terrible
‘it lhe dressed meats have given a sur
reputation behln«! her In Bart»adm>a
Dido was not a favorite In th* ser prising exhibithm of high jumping.
The aharjieat advance was for mutton
vants' ¡»art of The Wigwam." but for
•his unpopularity eh* cared llttl*. be rut*, tn the price of which was added
rents a pound.
This increase
ing devoted to Isabella Dallaa
She 1 to
cents a
ador«-il her nursling
Th* girl
was brings mutton rack* to
al«out twenty years of age. tall and l»«und, legs and joints to 16 cents and
Straight. With dark balr and darker cuts for stewing to 10| cents.
eyes, with a mouth veritably Ilk* Cu
Th* wholesale prices of beef, mutton
pid'Sy bow, and a figure matchless In and pork have increased 20 per rent
contour
With her rich southern col w ithin the last two w< wks anti the a«l
oring and passionate temperament— vanee is to travel on to retail prires in
she was of Irish blood on the paternal
the near future.
Mikg l»all»s looke«l non an An
An average of 2 rents a jx«und m<-re
dalusian lady. Hhe had all the loved! ■
will l«e paid by patrons of lhe butcher
neas of a Creole woman, and bloomed
like a rich tropical Aower with poison shop on all meats and in at least one
instance, sliced ham, the advance will
In Ils perfume, amid the rosso.
If Mrs. I »alias w »s a boro and her l«e 5 rents. Mutton is now higher than
friends said sli* was ths daughter for the last 2o years, selling at 30
was divine, am! many young men «-am* cent* for chops.
to 'The Wigwam" to be Spellbound by
her t«eauty. Mor* tn«n than th» three
TAFT POINTS WAY TO PEACE.
who had «lined at "A*hanlce" were m
love with Isabella
t'pon ber Dido exercise«! a powerful, Question* of National Honor Shou d
Be Arbitrated. He Says.
and It must b* confessed, a malignant
Influence She bed fed the quick brain
New York, March 23. The president
of the girl with weird tale* of African
of the United States si»oke in the cause
witchcraft amt fanciful notions of ter
restrial and sidereal InAuencea
Isa .•f world psaea tonight beforu such a
bella's nature was warped by this do brilliant n**«-mi»l*g<- at the Hotel As
mestic necromanyy, and had ah* con tor that he described it a* "superla
tinued to dwell In the West Indies, she tive.” He was the honor guest at a
might almost have bwnmi a
witch banquet of the Peace and Arbitration
herself
Certainly Did«» did her best league and the principal s|«eaker.
t«» make her < hw . an«l taught h««r nurs
In the main, international ¡ware ws*
ling sp«<lls and In« »«Rations, t«> which the keynote of every address. I«ut no
lhe girl would listen fearfully, half-be Speaker advocated the immediate dis
lieving. half-doubling
But her con armament of nations
it wa* agreed
tact with the sunny side of life save«! armies and navies were necessary until
her from falling Into th* terribly abyss
* more Utopian universe ahall have
of African superstition; and how ter
e«-me about. On this |>uint President
rible It I* only the Initiated can de
Taft said:
clare. 11 only n**ded that she should
"Because we are in favor of univer
!-e removed from lhe bad Infiuen- •• of
the barbaric Rybil lo render her nature sal peare. and in favor of arbitration
healthy and All her Ilf* with pb-aeur*. to secure it, we are not in favor of one
But Dido wa* Ilk* * u | m >* tree, and country giving up that which we now
lhe moral atmosphere with which sh* use for the pur|a»se «»f securing peace,
surround«-«! Isalo-ila wns slowly
but or the withdrawal of our armament,
surely making lhe girl morl-ld and un «■ur army or our navy.”
natural
Mrs Della*—versed tn the
Tremendous applause greeted his de
negro character half-gticaeed thia but claration, and he continued:
she was too Indolent to have Dido re
"I don’t want to *<-<-m insonaistenl
moved
Moreover, strange as It may in speaking so emphatically here in fa
appear, sho was more than a
trlA*
vor of peace by arbitration anti in using
afral«! of the negrees and her unholy
every effort I can bring to bear on con-
arts.
Mauri«-* hnd met with, and had fal greaa to have two more battleships thia
I am hopefbl that we may con
len In lov* with. Isabella, and she re- year.
lurnod hla uff<-<tlon with all the ardor tinue with that policy until the Pana
of her passionate nature.
III* hand ma canal is cormtruct«-d, so that then
some and frank face, hla sunny nature our naval force shall be doubled by the
and optimistic Ideas appealed strongly connection betwren the two coaata.
to the girl who had been environed Then we can atop and think whether
from her earliest Infancy by the pes we wish to go further.
simism of Dido.
”Pcrha[>* by that time there will
Maurice saw well how Isabella had be adopted a means of reducing the
deteriorated under the bad InApenro of
armament, and when it cones I am
the negresa. and he did hla beat to
sure we will not be the power to inter
counteract her Insidious morality and
fere with the general movement.”
morbid teachlngr. He laughed at Isa
bella's stories sad superstitions, and
succeeded In making her ashamed of
Pin* ar* Weapon* at Capital.
her weakness tn placing faith tn such
Washington, March 23.
Washington
degraded rubbish
While with him Is-
al«ella was a bright and laughing rill; women can jab holdujis and mashers
quite another sort of being to
the with long hatpin* all they want, ac
grav* and nervous creature sh* wsa cording to Major Slyveatar. *ui>erinUn-
while In the presence of Dido.
Hhe dvnt of police. "We have in Washing
felt that If she married Maurice hla ton 16,000 more women than men,”
bright, strong nature would save her said Major
Sylvester in discussing
from a lamentable and melancholy ex the agitation against long hatpin*.
istence; and ns all her affections and "Such a predominance of the gentler
Instincts Inclined to th* young insq sex can have but one result.
Numbers
ah* hop*d to become hla wlf*.
of women are obliged to go about »be
I To be continued.)
streets at night without escorts and
Iletweew I'rleail».
women, aaaailed by marauders, have
Miss Honiclelgh—Perhapg you won't used hatpin* with telling effect.”
believe It. but a strange man tried to
Death Liat Reache* 47.
klr* m* one*.
WITH BEE)' PROBE.
M eat
Mias Ckittlng— Really?
Well, he'd
bar* been a strange man tf he'd tried
to kiss you twice.—Illi)*trat*d Bit*.
price risks .
Marshalltown, Iowa, March 23.— i
The list of the dead in» the wreck of
the Rock Island “Twin City Express"
has grown to 47, several passenger*
Mp and Taek.
having died a* the result of injuries.
H*— I wouldn't marry a girl wh* Th«we who died during lhe night were
put on false hair.
J. S. Goodenough. engineer of the sec
Rhe—And I wouldn't marry a man ond engine, and Mrs. Liui* Anderson,
who put on • fala* front!—Boat«* of f sdar lUpida.
HwraM.
Lengua» 1'0« r*W mis re*x IM nee»
'li»»j «14
I lo » Uvlty by a»sü* »»<i>«»Js
vie« ar. ¡n^i *r »sake»
They ar* a
t 1.1* to th* »tews'k. llrer aa4 nervss;
I
rote Instes« ot w*»X»ii.
They *»•
r-b tbe lto.4 •■« ess Lie lb* etoniS' h to
CM sil the noerlshaisut frum food that la
I 111 late It Tbeee alia rests » no eelo-
! cl; they sr* snothta*. keel ng and atlra-
r ..tier
F»r Sale by all «ras«!a!e in ICe
• nd S'-- sls-s
If ye* n»»«1 medical sd-
»Ire. write Many**'» Dreisrs
They wilt
• dels* to the l-eel sf their shtllty ab<M>-
I tely f-~ of i bsrae
kr*YOV% M4
sad JaCrteea Bls., FkilnSslphla, 1'a,
Send ISs tar triol pactas*
the nay* at «be 1,al4 Peeer.
Overerowdlag I* a* modern Innova
tion. says a writer In ths ban Fran-
rl»‘ o Call, and bs Uluatrates the point
with a story
A man was complaining
to an old pilot about th* fact that
there hs I been four tn on* stateroom
on a steamboat. "Knur in a room?”
replied th» other.
"That's nothing.
You should hsve traveled In tb* days
of th* gold rush to CaJlfornia.
“! remember on* trip out of New
York we carried mor* than on* thou
sand paasengera. and If you put fifty
on that ship today there’d b* a protest
that noulil
reach Washington, anil
make trouble for sometiody. To show
you bow crowded it wax and what
■crowd«-.!' really means, three days out
fraa N r * -York * chap walked up to
th«- odd loan, and said
"‘Captain, you really must find m*
a place to sleep.'
" 'Where have you been sleeping un
til now?* asked th* old man.
"'Well.’ says th* fellow, 'you aea.
It s thia way
l'v* been aleeplng on a
»1« k man. but hs s getting letter now.
and won’t at nd for It much longer’"
In
•■Itaialwa the Hand.**
Ths raising of the hand which re-
plai es tb* kissing of tbs Book In th*
“Sth which witnesses In England wilt
henceforth tabs was in origin a point
ing toward heaven
The oath taker
«-xtendod hl* hand toward the Being
whom hs Invoke«! a pagan, for
In
stance, touching th* fool or hnee ot
hi* go«!'* statu*
"I hav* lifted up
mln* han«! unto th* laird,' say* Abra
ham. Our Germanic ancestor* raised
their spears toward high heaven
A
qualat rase t* that of the Hbrewahury
parliament of 13*t, when tho lords
took a solemn oath by tb* cross of
Canterbury, »falls the commons
io
doubt to mirk ths distinction between
th* two orders- swore simply by lift
ing tbelr hand«
leu*'" chronlcl*.
<
brrplf
> »11
URiit.
Steward (lb*
Oral day out)—Did
you ring, sir?
Traveler Ye*, steward
I—I rang.
Steward Anythlug 1 can bring you,
sir?
Traveler—Y ea, st-tsward
B-ring m*
* continent. If you have one, or an
Island anything, steward, so I lul-
longs aa It's solid.
If you can’t, sua
•luh the ship
l wrle
Allew.
"A preacher who draws a l«lg salary."
•aid I’ncle Allen H|«rk*. "sometlm«-*
.»la a tempting offer to go aom*whera
■«nd give a lecture, and he asks a col
lege voting man who la studying for
’«• ministry to fill hla pulpit for on*
Sunday. The college young man does
It. and all he gets 1* thank*
Ruch
things happen »»mettme». and I sup-
;.«.«• it'* all right I'm not blaming 'hs
preacher, understand. I'm only kicking
1—, mi« the young chap lets that «rd*
•if game be played on him. by Jucka!"
larrlag
and
»««ISrrlss.
The firat re-oded Insiam-e of ta»
ring and feathering a htirnau being
was in lmti, during the time of tho
«-rusadew
In that year, the first ot
the reign of Ri.hard I., a law wm
l»asaed that "any robber voyaging with
th* crusader* shall ba first shaved,
then hot pitch wball t>* poured upon
him and a cushion of frathera shook
over him ” Aft*r this th* criminal was
to b* put ashore at the first landing
place the ship reached
BROWN'S
B konchial T roches
A r*«narRilnr. <4
nwHt l*f Nli«vh< Ce*<* «,
Hia w in ig g a«»4 IrrttAttaa <4 thfva't <4 gr««t
In Lurw TroMhUs, BfwwMtto «n4 A i Ü mm . hr«
pH««. 25 <•*«. to cmM »4 |l»00
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