Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 January 1906 — The Yellow Holly [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Yellow Holly

By FERGUS HUME,

Author of “Tba Mystery of a Hansom Cab,“ Etc. A A

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I—George Brendon, a young Londoner, visits hli friend, Leonard Train, who ha* lodging* In the boarding home kept by Mr*. Jersey. Among the boarder* i* an elderly maiden lady. Mia* Bull. Mr*. Jersey 1* startled by a piece of yellow holly worn by Oeorge. ll—George, who*e real name 1* Vane, tell* Train the story of hi* life. He I* an orphan and the grandson of Lord l>errington, but the latter refuses to recognize the marriage of George’s father (Lord Derringtou's son), who had eloped. Brendon desire* to establish his position as Lord Derrlngton's heir iu order to marry Dorothy Ward. The plaoe of marriage of George's parent* is known only to Mrs. Jersey, formerly maid to George’s mother. His mother died at his birth, and hit father had been murdered in San Remo, Italy, f'ears before. Hl—ln the night Mrs. Jersey s killed with a stilleto by an unknown person. IV—Miss Bull takes charge of the house in behalf of Margery, neloe of the murdered woman. The house hat been leased from Lord Derrington. V—Mrs. Ward, a hearties* society woman, mother of Dorothy, Is opposed to Dorothy's marriage to Brendon. The yellow holly had been given to Dorothy by her mother and by the girl to George. Vl—Mr. Ireland, George's former guardian, tells him of his mother’s marriage and death and his father's murder. The latter was killed after leaving a masked ball in company with a woman—a blue domino — who wore a sprig of yellow holly. VII— George, seeking a confession known to have beeuleft by Mrs. Jersey, visits Miss Bull and iearns that the dead woman received an annuity from Lord Derrington. George saves a Mr. Bawdsey from death and learns that the latter lives in the Jersey house. Lola Velez, a dancer, is In love with George and is loved by Bawdsey. Lola's parents lived In San Remo at the time of the murder of Breudon's father.

CHAPTER IX. «« jm N Invitation—an invitation to A dinner. By Jove, I never t JL thought I’d get that far. The Honorable Mrs. Ward too. Hurrah!” Leonard Train made these remarks over a letter which hud come by the morning post. It was a delicate perfumed friendly note, begging dear Mr. Train to come to dinner the next evening without ceremony. “I have Just learned that your dear mother was at school with me,” wrote Mrs. Ward in her most gushing style. “So you will see why 1 write informally.” To account l'or Train's exuberant joy, which seemed out of all proportion to its reason, it must be explained that, notwithstanding his money and what lie regarded as his talents, be had never managed to enter the fashionable world. As he was as vain as a peacock and anxious to shine and be admired among people wortlf knowing, this was a great grief to him. George took him to several houses, but Leonard did not seem to be a success, for after one visit he wus never asked again, although he left cards assiduously. The desire of his life was to be fashionable; hence Ills delight at the letter. “Of course I'll go,” soliloquized Leonard when calmer. “I wonder if George will be there. He loves that Ward &lrl, so be might. Mrs. Ward does not approve of the match, so he might not. I wonder if there is a regular engagement. If not I might have a shot myself. The Honorable Mrs. Train—no, that would be the mother.” It will be seen that Leonard was not very faithful to his absent friend, but the fact is that Train was less devoted to Brendon than he had been. The episode of Amelia square made him fight rather shy of George. The story of the marriage was shady, and in some way— Leonard couldn’t exactly eifAiln howseemed to bo connected with the murder of Mrs. Jersey. Moreover, Leonard knew something which he hud not mentioned to Brendon and would not have mentioned for the fashionable world. However, be had suld nothing about George's history and so far hud kept faith. But Brendon saw that Leonard wus no longer so pleased to see him us formerly. He therefore avoided the fat young man, and Leonard did not seem to mind the avoidance. Leonard never intended to speak, being weak, but honorable in his own foolish way. But when Mrs. Ward's invitation came lie walked blindfolded into a trap set by that clever little woman. She asked Train to dinner, not because she had known ills mother —although that was true enough—but for the simple reason that she wished to hear what ho knew about the Amelia square trugedy. Brendon had told her much, but it was probable that Train, being u weak idiot in the hands of a pretty womau like herself, would tell her more. Mrs. Ward wished to find some scandal smirching George, that she might iuduce Dorothy to break the engagement. She would have utilized the tales about Lolu and Brendon, but she wus not sure of her ground in this particular direction, and, moreover, having seen the Spanish dancer, feared lest so passionate a woman should make an open scandal. It was the aim of Mrs. Ward’s life to do wrong tilings und to avoid troubles arising from them. Therefore she, for the time being, put Lola on the shelf and arranged in her own scheming mind to make use of Leounrd. When Leonard entered the drawing room he was welcomed by Dorothy, who. told him that Mrs. Ward would be down shortly. "It la only a small dinner, Mr. Train,” ahe suld. “Mr. Vane is coming; no one else.” “I expected to find my friend Brendon here,” said Leonard, thinking how beautiful she looked. "No. Mr. Breudou is very busy at the present time with his book. He would have come otherwise.” “All things should give way where a lady is concerned,” said Train gallantly.

Miss Ward laughed. She had beard much of Train from Brendon and thought him a kindly but foolish young man. “I am not a woman of that sort, Mr. Train. I have no desire that a man should neglect his work for frivolity. You are a great friend of Mr. Brendon?” “The greatest he has.” “And he was stopping with you In the house where that tragedy took place. lie told me about It.” Train secretly wished that George had held his tongue on this particular point, as he had bis own reasons for not wishing to be questioned. With the very best Intentions as to bolding bis tongue, be knew bis weakness for babbling well enough and found It easier to abstain from talking altogether than to be temperate In speech., “Brendon certainly stopped with me,” he said reservedly, “but" we were' sound asleep when the murder took place. Neither of us heard Anything. After the Inquest we both returned to the west end.” “It was a most unpleasant experience,” said Dorothy thoughtfully. “Very,” assented Train, wiping his fuce. “I shall never go in search of types again.” “You can find amusing types In the west end,” remarked Dorothy in a low voice. “Here is one.” The young man who entered the room was a small, attenuated, precise atom of u creature, Immaculately dressed and with a rather shrill voice. He answered to the name of the Hon. Walter Vane and was the cousin of Brendon, although he did not know of the relationship. But Dorothy and Train both knew and compared Vane’s physique with that of Brendon. Lord Derrington, who was a bluff old giant of the country squire type, sneered at his degenerate descendant. Ail the same he would not replace him by George, who was a man In looks and tastes after the old lord’s own heart. “Mr. Train—Mr. Vane,” said Dorothy, introducing the two.

Vane stared and muttered something about "pleasure.” Leonard caught uo other word. He then continued his conversation with Miss Ward. “I sneezed twice at the Merry Music hall the other night.” “That is where Velez dan-es,” said Leonard, determined to speak. Vane stared again, and It was Dorothy who answered. “My mother went to see her nnd says she is a most extraordinary dancer.” “I saw your friend Brendon at the hall, Miss Ward—the writing man, you know," snid Vane; “a fine looking chap, hut sulky.” “The best man in the world,” said Leonard, whereupon Dorothy gave him an approving look. She wondered what Vane would say did he know that the man he criticised so freely wus his cousin nnd the legitimate heir to the Derrlngton title. “Well, he has bis larks like every one else. They say he Is sweet on the dancer.” “Mr. Vane!” cried Dorothy, the blood rushing to her face. "Well, good people,” cried Mrs. Ward, entering the room at this very opportune moment, “are you all here? Mr. Vane, I am pleased. Mr. Train, how good of you to come! Ah,” Mrs. Ward sighed, “you have your dear mother's eyes, and lovely eyes they were!” Having slipped In this compliment to put Leonard at his ease and throw him off his guard, Mrs. Ward delivered him to Dorothy and took Vune into a shady corner. "Dinner will be ready soon,” she said, fanning herself, although it was a cold winter’s night. “I hope you are hungry, Mr. Vane.” “I was,” admitted her guest, "but I have to nurse my appetite carefully, you know, Mrs. Ward, and I am rather put out” “Not by Mr. Train, I hope. He is a nice fellow, really, v6ry nice, with money made out of pigs or whisky or something," said Mrs. Ward vaguely, for she was not certain. “What did he say?” “He said nothing, but Miss Ward did.”

Mrs. Ward shrugged. “Oh, you know, Dorothy has such odd Ideas and all that sort of thing. I suppose it was something about hooka, or philosophies, or grammar, or somethingenough to spoil any one’s Appetite, I’m sure.” “No. But I mentioned that Brendon —you know, the writing fellow*’— “Yes, I know,” said Mrs. Ward viciously and at once on the alert “Well, I said that it was rumored be was sweet on Lola Velez, and Miss Ward fired up. Is she so great a friend of his as all that?” “Oh, by no means,” responded Mrs. Ward vivaciously. “A mere acquaintance, yon know. I’m sure hfe dull enough. Lola Velez—oh, a perfect dear! How she can kick! So Mr. Brendon i 8 in—well, I never should have thought it of him; but these quiet men are always the worst” So Mrs. Ward rattled on in her incoherent manner, but perfectly clear In her own mind as to the good Vane’s injudicious observation would do. If Dorothy once got it Into her brain that George was an admirer of Lola, then there would be a chance of breaking the engagement. Before Vane coaid make any more remarks the gong thundered. “You take In Dorothy," she said to Vane, thus getting him off her shoulders, but not hoping to find Leonard a pleasant change. "I will take Mr. Train under my wing.” [TO BE CONTINUED.I

"Mr. Train — Mr. Vane."