"Because I had one, Dido."
The negress laughed with scornful doubt.
"Ho, dat one big lie. Der ain't de debble-stick but in de king's palace at Kumassi."
"You are wrong. I had one, and it was stolen by--"
"Why, of course," interrupted Isabella again. "Don't you remember. Dido, you were asked if you had taken it?"
"Ho, yis. Now I do tink," said Dido. "Ah, massa, you say I took de debble-stick and made de new smell to fill him. Den dat I kill wid him massa, who lubbed lil missy, and dat I made spells in your house to steal de body. Heh, dat not so?"
"It certainly is so," assented Jen, astonished to hear her put his suspicions into such plain words. "Mr. Alymer was killed by means of this poison. It was used again to render my servant insensible while the body was stolen. So I thought--"
"I know, I know!" broke in Dido, impatiently. "But dat not to do wid me. De poison in your debble-stick."
"There was; but it was all dried up."
"No! Dat nossin. If you pour wather in dat stick de poison come alive. Well, dat stick taken, but I no take it. Dat poo' young massa killed wid it--I no kill him. But de udder ting, sah. Dat smell! I mek it for missy, dat all!"