Major Jen from the young girl in .  
"Your mother," he muttered, hardly believing the evidence of his own senses. "Your mother stole the devil-stick?"
 
"Yes; but she did not know what she was doing!"
 
Jen frowned.
 
"That is impossible!" he said, . "Quite impossible!"
 
"No! no! Wait! Listen!" said Isabella, much . "I told you falsehoods before to shield my mother. Now that I know that you have discovered so much, that you are on punishing Dr. Etwald, I must tell you the truth, so that she may not be dragged down to ruin. But not here--not here: my mother may see us--and Dido," the girl . "Dido, of whom I am afraid. Come with me, major. Quickly!"
 
Without glancing toward the house Isabella ran down a path which led through a kind of shrubbery to the flower-garden, and then disappeared into a light summer-house, constructed in the Chinese fashion, and which was overgrown with greenery. Major Jen followed her as rapidly as his more mature age would permit him; and as he hastened, he felt a wild thrill of delight that at last he was about to hear the truth. That it should be told to him by so unexpected a person as Isabella Dallas, was not the least strange part of this strange affair.
 
"Major," she said, when somewhat out of breath he had taken his seat beside her in the summer-house, "although I relate what my mother, it is to save her that I do so. Both she and I are in a net woven by Dido."
 
"Ah! poor Maurice always mistrusted that negress!"
 
"He was right to do so. Oh, you do not know what a terrible woman she is. For years both I and my mother have been under her influence; and have submitted to her will. Now, I see her in her true colors, and I am to speak the truth. Save myself and my mother, major; for we are innocent. Dr. Etwald and Dido are the guilty persons."
 
"They killed Maurice!"
 
"Yes. I am sure of it."
 
"They stole the body?"
 
"I can swear they did," said Isabella, with emotion.
 
"Why did you not tell me of this before?" asked the major.
 
"I have only been certain of these things since our last interview. I lied to you then because Dido said if I told the truth she would accuse my mother of the murder."
 
"I see," said Jen, thoughtfully, "and I can understand their . Dido wished you to marry Etwald."
 
"Yes; and it was to force my mother into with that desire that the whole of these crimes were committed. Dido--"
 
"One moment, Miss Dallas. What influence has Etwald over the negress?"
 
Isabella shuddered.
 
"He is the possessor of the Voodoo stone," she said in a low voice.
 
"The Voodoo stone," echoed Jen, much puzzled. "And what may that be?"
 
"It is a small black of a shape," explained the girl, "and it was brought from Africa to Barbadoes over a hundred years ago. The negroes believe that a spirit dwells in this stone, and that when it is worshiped the indwelling devil can work to those against whom the possessor of the stone bears . You can have no idea how this is by all the blacks; they will go miles to look on it, to adore it; they would burn down a city to possess it; to gain it they would murder a hundred human beings. Well, Dr. Etwald was in Barbadoes some years ago, and he gained possession of this Voodoo stone. He has used it while here to Dido. While he holds it she will not dare to disobey him, and all this plotting and designed to bring about my marriage with Dr. Etwald, has been designed by him, and carried out by Dido, on account of his ownership of the Voodoo stone. You know that she calls him the 'great master!' Well--now you can guess the reason for her service worship of this man."
 
"Yes," Jen, turning his sharp eyes on Isabella, "and you--do you believe in this Voodoo stone also?"
 
"No. When I was a child I did, and I fancy that my mother also had some belief in it. Brought up among the negroes of Barbadoes both she and I the of the black race; but now we have no faith in such . For my part," added the girl, anxiously, "I should be glad to get rid of Dido, seeing that with Dr. Etwald and his influence of the Voodoo stone, she is dragging us toward disgrace; but my mother still clings to her as an old servant, and will not let her go."
 
"I see. And about the theft of this devil-stick?"
 
"Oh, on the night it was stolen, I was seated on the after dinner, and I saw my mother come out with Dido. They did not know I was there, as I sat in the shade. I saw Dido speak to my mother and point toward your house. Then she waved her hands before my mother's face, whereupon my mother turned and walked swiftly past where I was seated. I saw her face; it was quite white, and her eyes were open and glassy. She--"
 
"In a word," interrupted Jen, "this black witch had hypnotized Mrs. Dallas."
 
"Yes; but I did not know that until later on. When my mother disappeared Dido re-entered the house. At once--terrified by my mother's action--I ran down the little path which leads to the gate and followed her out onto the road. She went into your grounds by the postern in the wall. I saw her cross the lawn, and enter the smoking-room, wherein a lamp was burning. When she came out it was with the devil-stick in her hand. I recognized it by the golden handle. I reached home before she did, and again hid on the veranda. Dido reappeared as my mother came up the walk, and took the devil-stick from her. Then she led her indoors."
 
"And what did you do?" asked Jen, much interested in this strange history.
 
"I went in later on, and found that my mother had gone to bed. I said nothing at the time as I was afraid of Dido. , when Maurice was killed, and you said that the devil-stick had killed him, I went to Dido and accused her of the crime.
 
"She was fearfully angry and warned me that if I said a word about the theft of the devil-stick I would be in danger of hanging my own mother."
 
"What!" cried Jen, jumping up, "did Dido accuse your mother of the crime?"
 
"To me, yes. To my mother, no. Afraid lest such an should kill my mother, who is not strong as you know, I said nothing to her, or indeed to anyone. I told a lie to you to save my mother; what else could I do? But now I tell you the truth, and I wish you to protect us both against the evil of Dido and Dr. ............