"when dido says 'voodoo' he comes," repeated maurice, greatly puzzled. "are you talking of dr. etwald?"
"yes. he seems to possess some strange power over dido, for she always knows when he is approaching. see, maurice, dido is waiting at the gate; in a few moments you will see dr. etwald enter it."
the two young people looked steadfastly at the brilliantly-colored figure of the negress, standing in a statuesque attitude near the great iron gate. on either side of her waved the summer foliage of the trees; overhead the sun, like a burning eye, looked down from a cloudless sky, and beyond, the dusty white road showed distinctly through the slender bars of the gate. all was bright and cheerful and english, but in that sinister red figure, with its black face and hands, there was a suggestion of evil which seemed to dominate and poison the whole beautiful scene. maurice felt isabella shudder with nervous dread as she pressed closely to his side.
"dearest, you must not be afraid," said he, glancing down anxiously at her face. "you must throw off the terror you have of this woman. if the law--"
at this moment he broke off his speech with an ejaculation of surprise, for, true to the prognostication of isabella--in answer to the expectant attitude of the negress--dr. etwald turned in at the gate.
"ho! ho!" murmured maurice, rather taken back. "so the art of devil-raising is not a lost one after all. dido can still call spirits from the vasty deep."
"she has called flesh and blood," said isabella, with a shiver. "but there is nothing strange about dr. etwald's appearance just now. dido did not call him; she simply felt that he was at hand, and went to meet him at the gate."
they continued to watch the pair, and saw dido throw herself at the feet of etwald, who raised his hand over her in a threatening manner. he pointed into the wood with an imperious gesture, and in a slinking attitude the usually stately dido passed out of sight into the little path down which isabella had come to meet maurice. when the gleam of her red dress disappeared etwald wiped his face and walked briskly up the avenue toward the young couple.
"shall we go on or wait for him here?" asked isabella in a whisper.
"wait," replied maurice, in the same tone. "i shall not let him think that either of us is afraid of his charlatan tricks."
dr. etwald approached, with what was meant for a smile on his usually sombre face, and took off his hat to miss dallas. but he did not speak as he made his salutation, so the girl was forced, by reason of this uncomfortable silence, to make the first observation.
"good-morning, doctor," she said, as he replaced his hat; "i suppose you have come to see my mother."
"partly, miss dallas, and partly to see you; also this gentleman."
"to see me!" said maurice, looking at his rival. "then why did you not go to 'ashantee?'"
etwald shrugged his shoulders.
"i never give myself unnecessary trouble," he answered, calmly, "and, of course, i knew that i should find you here."
"by what right do you say that?" demanded maurice, sharply.
"by the right of our conversation last night, mr. alymer. you have forestalled me, i see. no matter," added etwald, with a sneer. "to-day to you; to-morrow to me."
all this was quite unintelligible to isabella, who looked from one to the other of her companions in bewilderment, not guessing for the moment that she was the bone of contention between them. she saw the suppressed mockery on etwald's face, and noted also that maurice, roused by the quiet insistence of the doctor, had much difficulty in keeping his temper. knowing how her lover disliked etwald, and fearing lest there should be a quarrel between the two men, she cut the gordian knot by hastily proposing that they should go up to the house.
at the same time she was afraid lest further trouble should occur therein, for it seemed to her that etwald had paid this visit for the express purpose of making himself disagreeable.
however, he did not say anything further at the moment, but walked beside isabella toward the wigwam. behind them maurice strolled slowly, fuming and fretting at the attitude assumed by etwald by the side of isabella. she cast a backward glance at his frowning face, and to avert possible trouble she began hastily to question the doctor about the strange conduct of dido.
"what was the matter with my nurse, doctor?" she asked. "what have you been doing to her?"
"she was agitated, my dear young lady, and i have calmed that agitation."
"after having previously caused it," said maurice, in a significant tone.
the doctor looked at the young man calmly.
"what possible reason have you to make such an accusation?" he demanded.
"i think it is my fault," said isabella, hastily. "i remarked that dido was always agitated when you came to this house."
"i can explain that in a measure, miss dallas. if you remember i cured dido of a bad nervous headache by hypnotic suggestion. her mind, therefore, became habituated in responding to mine, and doubtless she feels a kind of impression which tells her that i am near."
"in other words," said maurice, pointedly, "you have obtained an influence over her."
"it is not improbable," rejoined etwald, in measured tones. "i am one of those people, mr. alymer, who can, by strength of will and power of character, obtain power over anyone i wish."
as he spoke, etwald cast a sudden glance at isabella. the girl was looking toward the house, out of which her mother had just emerged, and did not see the menace in his regard; but maurice noted the gaze, and felt enraged at all it implied.
in plain words, etwald intimated in a veiled manner that isabella was a nervous subject, over whom he could obtain influence, if he so chose, by the unlawful means of hypnotism. this power maurice was determined he should not gain, and by asking a direct question he tried to force etwald into a confession of illegitimate practices. by this he hoped to warn isabella, and make her afraid of trusting herself too much in the doctor's company.
"you have been in the west indies, doctor?" asked maurice, bluntly.
"i have been all over the world, mr. alymer," parried etwald, dexterously.
"do you know anything of voodoo worship?"
"i know something of most things," assented the doctor. "but i confess i take but little interest in african barbarities."
"oh, what about dido and her meeting you?"
"i have explained that to the best of my ability," responded etwald, coldly, "and now, mr. alymer, as our hostess is approaching you must excuse my replying to any further questions. if you want further insight into my character, call upon me at deanminster."
"that i shall certainly do," said maurice, for he was resolved to learn all he could about this strange man, so that he could protect isabella from his arts.
"ah," said the doctor, with irony, "we shall see if you will venture so far."
before maurice could take up the implied challenge, which threw doubts upon his moral courage, mrs. dallas advanced heavily to meet her visitors. isabella had already flitted like a white butterfly into the drawing-room, and her mother received the two young men alone. her reception was, as usual, ponderous and vague.
"so pleased to see you, mr. alymer. dr. etwald, i am charmed. it is a delightful day, is it not? reminds one of barbadoes."
"i have never been in barbadoes," said maurice, toward whom her languid gaze was directed. "but dr. etwald may be able to answer your question, mrs. dallas."
"i know the west indian islands," observed etwald as they walked into the house, "and this day does remind me a little of the climate there; but it is scarcely hot enough."
"no," murmured mrs. dallas, sinking into a large chair. "you are right. i have been in the sun all the morning, and only now am i beginning to feel warm, i shall certainly go back to barbadoes."
mrs. dallas had made this threat so many times that nobody paid any attention to it, and, not expecting an answer, she began to fan herself slowly. through her half-closed eyes she looked anxiously at the subtle face of etwald. with the instinct of a woman she guessed that something important had brought the doctor to see her; he was not a man to waste his time on visits of ceremony.
now mrs. dallas was secretly afraid of etwald, as she had received hints from dido, in whose truth she implicitly believed--that the doctor knew more about secret things than most people. she dreaded lest his visit should portend harm, and so, in some trepidation, she waited for him to speak. but etwald, guessing her frame of mind, took his time and it was only when isabella approached with some tea for her mother that he broke the silence.
"don't go away, miss dallas," he said, entreatingly. "i have something to say to your mother which concerns you."
isabella turned pale, for she guessed what was coming. as etwald had raised his voice purposely, maurice, who was standing by the tea-table, also pricked up his ears. mrs. dallas, with some curiosity, raised herself to look closer at etwald and he, seeing that his auditory was attentive, prepared to launch his thunderbolt.
"my dear mrs. dallas," he said, in a soft voice, "you must have seen for a long time that my visits here have not been made without an object. to-day i come to ask you and your sweet daughter a question."
"what is it?" asked the mother, devoured by curiosity.
"pray don't ask it," said isabella, better informed by etwald's glance as to his purpose. "it will only give you pain."
"i must risk that," said the doctor, slowly, "mrs. dallas, i love your daughter, and i wish to marry her. miss isabella, will you be my wife?"
here maurice set down his cup with a crash, and strode across the room, where he faced etwald in no very pleasant frame of mind.
"i shall answer that question. dr. etwald," he said, loudly. "miss dallas shall not and can not marry you. she has promised to be my wife."
"isabella!" said mrs. dallas, in an aggrieved tone. "is this true?"
"perfectly true," assented isabella. "i love maurice. i wish to marry him." and slipping her arm within that of her lover, she prepared to face the storm.
"you are a disobedient girl," cried mrs. dallas, making no attempt to control her temper. "you shall not marry without my permission. mr. alymer, i am astonished at you; i am disappointed in you. it is not the act of a gentleman to steal away the affections of my daughter without informing me of your intentions."
"i had my reasons for not doing so, mrs. dallas," replied maurice, quickly. "but i was about to tell you of our engagement when dr. etwald forestalled me by making his unexpected offer."
"unexpected, mr. alymer!" smiled etwald. "after my statement last night?"
"unexpected so far as time and place are concerned," said maurice, firmly. "but as you have asked miss dallas to marry you, take her refusal from her own lips."
"miss dallas!" said etwald, in no wise moved by this speech.
"isabella!" cried her mother in an angry tone.
isabella looked calmly at them both.
"i love maurice. i intend to marry him," she repeated, and an obstinate expression came over her face.
"in that case," said etwald, rising, "i must take my leave, and shall be content with that answer until such time as you are free; then," he added, coolly, "i shall ask you again."
"i shall never be free," said isabella, proudly.
"oh, yes, you will; when mr. alymer is dead."
"dead!" shrieked mrs. dallas, all her superstition roused by the word. "come away from that man, isabella."
"maurice dead!" repeated the girl, with a pale cheek.
the young man shrugged his shoulders.
"pooh! pooh! some nonsense that dr. etwald was talking about last night," he added, contemptuously. "he says if i marry, it will be a case of life in death, whatever that means."
etwald rose to his feet and stretched out a menacing hand.
"i have warned you, alymer," he said, sternly. "your marriage, after or before it, means life in death. take care! ladies," he added, with a bow, "i take my departure."
outside etwald found dido waiting for him. he looked at her significantly.
"i have failed," he said. "there is nothing left but the devil-stick."
