Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 February 1906 — The Yellow Holly [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Yellow Holly

By FERGUS HUME,

Author of “The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.” Etc. X

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I—George Brendon, a young Londoner, visits Illi friend, Leonard Train, who has lodgings in the boarding bouse kept by Mrs. Jersey. Among the boarders is an elderly maiden lady. Miss Bull. Mrs. Jersey is startled by a piece of yellow holly worn by George. Il - George, whose real name is Vane, tells Train the story of bhr life. He is an orphan and the grandson of Lord Derrington, but the latter refuses to recognize the marriage of George's father (Lord Derrington's sou), who had eloped. Brendon desires to establish his position as Lord Derrington's heir in order to rnarry Dorothy Ward. The place of marriage of George's parents is known only to Mrs. Jersey, formerly maid to George's mother. His mother died at his birth, and his father had been murdered in San Remo, Italy, years before. Ill—ln the night Mrs. Jersey is killed with a stilleto by an Unknown person. IV—Miss Bull takes charge of the house In behalf of Margery, neice of the murdered woman. The house has been leased from Lord Derrington. V—Mrs. Ward, a heartless 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. Vll— George, seeking a confession known to have been left by Mrs. Jersey, visits Miss Bull and learns that the dead woman received an annuity from Lord Derrington. George saves a Mr. Bawdsey from death and learns that the latter Ilves in the Jersey house Vlf I—Lola Velez, adaneer. is in love with George and is loved by Bawdsey. Lola's parents lived in San Remo at the time of the murder of Brendon's father. IX and X—Mrs. Ward invitee Train to dinner. He meets Lord Derrlington. George visits Dorothy and makes a favorable impression on his grandfather. Mrs. Ward learns from Train that the latter found a yellow holly berrv near the body of Mrs. Jersey. XI George visits Bawdsey. who is employed by Lord Derrington to watch the young man. Bawdsey warns h m that he Is suspected of Mrs. Jersey's murder. XII —Lord Derrington is visited by Brendon, who telle his grandfather that he saw him in Mrs. Jersey s house on the night of of the murder. Brendon demands that his grandfather silence Mrs. Ward.

Derrington was confounded by this calm answer. He would have blus'tered. but George’s politeness gave him no chance of losing his temper, and without fuel ft would not blaze up. “You seem to be well provided with proofs,” said he grimly. “Let us admit, for the sake of argument, that you are my grandson. But the marriage”— “Ah, that is the difficult point! And it Is unpleasant for me to talk of the •object. In Justice to the memory of my mother I hold that there was a triage.” “And in Justice to my family I hold that there was none.” “In that case. Lord Derrington, we Join issue." “You are quite a lawyer, sir,” sneered the old man. “I thought of studying for the bar at one time.” “Indeed, and why did you not?” “I had no money to pay my fees,” said George coldly. The old lord winced. “You could have had money had you chosen,” said he roughly. “I know. For that reason I changed my name to Brendon.” “Well,” said Derrington irritably, 'let us come to the point. You say you are my grandson. 1 admit that, as I am aware of what evidence you can bring forward. But I decline to admit that you are my heir. The onus of proof lies with you.” “I am prepared to discover the proof if your lordship will behave in an honorable manner.” “What!” roared Derrington, rising with a tierce look. "Do you mean to •ay, you Jackanapes, that I am behaving dishonorably?” “Extremely so," said Brendon coldly. “You have had me watched by a detective, you threaten through him to have me arrested for a crime of which I am innocent if I do not give up my attempts to gain my birthright and”— here George leaned forward—“ Dorothy Ward. Do you call these actions honorable?” , “Do you know who I am?" questioned the other, blustering. “Very well. You are the man who is keeping me out of my rights.” The two faced one another without blenching. Derrington tried to cow George, and George refused to be cowed. It was the old lord’s eyes which fell tirst. Brendon had youth as well as will on his side, and these dominated Derrington. For the first time iu his tyrannical life ho gave Way. “I am willing to hear what you have to say,” he grunted. “I don’t think I have any more to say,” said Brendon. “Then why did you come here?” “To ask you if you consider it honorable to threaten me. I have already done so. There is no more to be said on my part. I wish you to recognize my mother’s marriage and to state that I am your heir." \ “Anything else?” sneered Derrington. “Yes; you will publicly recognize me, you will allow me an income sufficient to maintain the dignity of my real name of George Vane, and you will order Mrs. Ward to kg?p silent” “Mrs. Ward? What have I to u o with her?” “A great deal, apparently. You told her my story, and as she does not want me to marry her daughter she will move heaven and earth to ruin me by using her knowledge.” “How can she ruin you?” “I think you understand, sir. The •tory told by my friend Train”— “Friend 1 Judas, rather.” “No. He is only a weak man who is »» wax in the bands of a clever and pretty woman. But Mrs. Ward got sufficient out of him to place me in a somewhat perilous position.”

“Were you In the room where the woman was murdered? Speak plainly.” “I came here purposely to speak plainly.” rejoined Brendon dryly, “for your safety,as well as for my own.” "Safety, ulr?” Derrington grew crimson. “What do you mean?” “1 mean that I cun speak freely to you, as I know perfectly well that for the honor of our family you will not take these matters into court. I tcaa in the room of Mrs. Jersey. I saw her dead!” “And you know who killed her?” “No. I can't say that for certain.” George looked keenly at his grandfather. The old man appeared uneasy. Suddenly Brendon spoke. “I should

like to know what you were doing In Mrs. Jersey’s house on the night she was murdered?” Derrington dashed down his yeu furiously and rose. “You go too far, sir! You go too far!” he roared. “Not any further than you Intended to go. If you threaten me I have a right to protect myself.” “In what way?” “By telling you that if I am in a perilous position you are also.” “Do you mean to say that I murdered the woman?” “By no means,” said Brendon quickly. “I should not think of doing such a thing. But "1 do say you were in that house after 11.” “I was not,” panted the old nobleman savagely, and he glared at his grandson with bloodshot eyes. “You were,” Insisted Brendon. “There is no need to tell you how I got out of my bedroom unbeknown to Train, but I did. I came downstairs to see Mrs. Jersey at half past'll or thereabouts. I crept down the stairs and saw you standing in the light of the ball lamp. You had on a fur coat, and I recognized you by your unusual height; also by the color of your coat Some months before you wore that coat—lt is a claret colored one trimmed with sahle— at a race meeting. You were pointed out to me, and It was the first time I had set eyet on you. It was you In the hall.” “Did you see my face?” asked Derrington. “No. But the coat and the height and my knowledge that you were connected with Mrs. Jersey”— “I wasn't connected with the jade!” flashed out Derrington. “She came to me years ago and said she could prove the marriage. I tried to get out of her the name of the church where it took place. She refused to give it and said if I did not pension her off she would go to your guardian, Ireland, and get him to help her to prove that you were legitimate. I hated your father, sir, and as to your mother”— “No,” cried Brendon, rising, “not a word against my mother.” “Only this, that she was not well born—the daughter of a music master, not the wife for my son.” “She was his wife, however. Leave my mother’s name out of it and go on, sir. You say that Mrs. Jersey could have proved the marriage.’-’ “Yes,” growled Derrington, rather cowed by Brendon’s manuer. "I did not wish her to do so, for the reasons I have stated.”

“Very unworthy reasons,” said George. Derrington looked as though he could have struck George. “Never mind that,” said he, controlling his temper. “I bought that bouse from your mother’s father—the music master.” he sneered, “and gave it to Mrs. Jersey rent free. I also allowed her an annuity. She held her tougue for many years. Then, she saw that confounded advertisement in the papers and threatened to tell you the truth on the chance of getting more money out of you when I was dead. I refused, and she then told me that she had written out a confession”— “I thought as much,” interrupted George. “But that has been stolen.” "By whom?” “By the assassin.” “And who is the assassin?” “I can’t say. But if use In made of that confession either yoC or I will learn who killed Mrs. Jersey.” “Why you or I?"

“Because we alone can make use of the confession and pay money for IL The thing would be of no use to any one else. But I now understand Mrs. Jersey’s possession of the house. Were you in it on that night?” Derrington looked at Brendon and hesitated. . Then in strange contradiction to his usual manner he turned away his face. “I decline to answer that question,” he growled. “But I saw you,” persisted George. “You saw— There is nothing more to be said. Hold your tongue.” “Willingly,” said George politely, "if you will silence Mrs. Ward.” “I have no influence with the woman.” “Oh, I think so. She wishes Dorothy to marry my cousin.” “Your cousin!” “Can you deny the relationship?” Derrington shirked the question by assenting to Brendon’s request. “I may be able to make Mrs. Ward bold her tongue.” he growled. “I am quite sure she will do anything you tell her in the hope that you will approve of a match between my cousin and her daughter.” “And you wish me to approve?” sneered the old man. “As to that, it matters little. Mrs. Ward wishes Dorothy to be Lady Derrington and to have your very excellent income. Whether she marries me or Vane, it comes to the same thing. I can’t understand Mrs. Ward’s dislike and mischief making, sin£e that is the case.” “I can,” snapped Derrington. “You are too clever for her, and W’ulter is a fool.” “Perhaps so. However, as I shall marry Dorothy it doesn’t much matter." “How can you marry’ her, situated as you are?” “I shall be GeOrge Vane some day-, sir, and then Dorothy will be my wife.” “I believe she will,” muttered Derrington, looking at the firm face of the young man. “Humph! So you intend to look for the certificate of marriage?” “No; for the confession of Mrs. Jersey. Afterward for the church which will be mentioned in that confession. The register will prove the marriage without the necessity of the certificate.” “How will you set to work to get that confession?” - „ George wrinkled his brows. “There is only one way, sir. I must find out who killed Mrs. Jersey. If you can help me”— “I can’t. T know no more who murdered the woman than you do.” “Yet you were in the house on that night.” Derrington grew wrathful. “Don't talk rubbish, sir. If I was I should not mind admitting the fact. As it is”— He broke off, gnawing his lip and avoiding Brendon's eyes. That the old man knew something vital to the case Brendon was certain. That he would never confess what it was George felt perfectly sure. He abandoned the point, as he did not wish to make Lord Derrington incriminate himself, and he might do so. Brendon was satisfied that he had seen him in the house on the night when Mrs. Jersey was murdered. “There is no more to be said,” he remarked, taking up his hat. “No. Except that I’ll give you a fair chance of finding the church. Bawdsey shall watch you no more.” “Thank you. And Sirs. Ward?” “She shall be made to hold her tongue.” George bowed. “I am obliged to you, sir. I now see that you intend to fight fairly. Good day.” And he departed. Derrington stood where he was in deep thought Suddenly he struck a mighty blow on the desk. “By heaven, he’s a man after my own heart!” said the old scamp. “He shall be my heir; he shall marry that girl, but to exercise his wits he shall fight every inch of the way to attain his ambition.”

[TO BE CONTINUED.!

“Do you mean to say that I am behaving dishonorably?"