Jasper County Democrat, Volume 8, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1906 — The Yellow Holly [ARTICLE]

The Yellow Holly

By FERGUS HUME,

Author of “The Mystery of ■ Hansom Cab,” Etc.

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I—George Brendon, a young Londoner, Vinita his friend, Leonard Train, who ha, lodging, in the boarding house kept by Mrs. Jersey. Among the boarders is an elderly maiden lady. Miss Bull. Mrs. Jersey is startled by it piece of yellow holly worn l>y George. ll—George, whose real name is Vane, tells Train the story of his 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 son), who had eloped. Brendon desires to establish his position as Lord Derrington's heir in order to marry 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 bis birth, and his father had been murdered in San Remo, Italy, years before. Ill—ln the night Mrs. Jersey is killer! 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 bouse 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. VII— 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 lives in the Jersey house. Vlll—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 Brendon's father. IX and X—Mrs. Ward invites Train to dinner He meets Lord Derriington. George visits Dorothy and makes a favorable impression on his grandfather. Mrs. Ward learns from Train that the latter found a yellow holly berry near the body of Mrs. Jersey. XI George visits Bawdsey. who is employed by Lord Derrington to watch the young man. Bawdsey warns him that he is suspected of Mrs. Jersey's murder. Xll—Lord Derrington is visited by Brendon, who tells 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. Xlll—Lord Derrington visits Mrs. Ward and forces her to keep silence concerning the yellow holly berry found by Train, telling her that the berry was dropped by George at the Ending of the body. Dorothy and her mother see Lola Velez dance, Lola later tells Dorothy that the hitter will be forced to give up her lover. XlV—Lola disappears. Bawdsey tells George that Mr. Ireland knows something about his father's death. Lord Derrington s {lower over Mrs. Ward is due to the fact of iis know ledge of her cheating at cards. Mrs. Ward produces the weapon with which Mrs. Jersey was killed, having found it in Lord Derrington's coat. Lord Derrington confiscates the stilleto. Mr. Ireland tells him that Mrs. Ward was with George's father at the San Remo ball Another blue domino there was Mrs. Ward's sister, now known us Miss Bull. CHAPTER XVL BRENDON was much astonished a day or two later to receive an invitation to dine with his fought the old man with his own weapons and had come oft victor, he did not expect to be pardoned. But in this he was wrong. Derrington, sickened with Walter’s milk and water ways, saw in Brendon a worthy successor who would be able to hold bls own In will and word and would abed fresh luster on the house. However astonished, Brendon was too much a man of the world to reveal his feelings. On the evening In question he presented himself at the mansion in St Giles square, scrupulously groomed and brushed. Derrington looked approvingly on his dress, which set off a handsome figure to advantage, and he unbent so far as to advance to George with outstretched hand.

“We had rather a rough Interview, George,” he said, “so I have invited you to smoke the pipe of peace.” Brendon shook the old man’s band quietly, but without much enthusiasm. He could not conjecture what Derrington meant by behaviMg in a way so different from that he usually adopted. His host felt the slack hand clasp and winced on seeing the want of response In Brendon's face. “Dinner will be ready soon,” said the old lord, waving Brendon to a seat; “only our two selves. I wish to consult you.” “Consult me?” George could not keep the astonishment out of his face. “It’s rather late in the day. Is It not?” remarked Derrington dryly. “But you see I am old, George, and have not much time to spare. Yea, I wish you to consult with me after dinner about—but that can come In the course of our conversation. Meantime let us talk of anything you like.” “The weather, sir?” “No, confound you,” snapped Derrington, with a flash of his old irritable self; “talk of wine, wit and women if you like, but spare me platitudes.” Brendon stared at his shoes and smiled under his mustache. “I do not think I can say anything very original about the subjects you mention,” be said quietly. “Talk of Miss Ward then. You can be original on that point.” Brendon would rather not have mentioned Dorothy, but he was quite determined to show his grandfather that he fully intended to marry his ladylove and that he was not afraid to speak his mind. "I do not fancy that there is anything particularly original in a love story. I met Miss Ward some three years before, I have loved her ever since and we will marry when”— “There, there,” Interrupted Derrington, waving bls hand, “let us not get on to that subject as yet. We can talk of it after dinner. In fact, you may as well know that I asked you here to discuss your position. We muet have an understanding.” “I think you must Intend it to be a pleasant one,” said Brendon, “as you have asked me to dinner.” It struck Brendon that his grandfather looked old and very haggard. He had lost his fresh color, his eyes were sunken and the defiant cud was out

of his enormous mustache. He moved slowly toward the door, and George felt sorry to see him so lonely. Moved by a sudden impulse, George moved to the elder man’s side and offered his arm. The footman was holding the door open, and Derrington could not express, even by a look, the satis faction he felt. With a surly grunt he took Brendon’s arm, but George guessed by the warm pressure that Derrington was pleased. It was quite a banquet, for Derrington lived in a most expensive manner. Th 6 table was a round one, laid with exquisite taste, and was placed under a kind of velvet tent, which shut off the rest of the room and made the meal particularly cozy. It was perfect, and after the somewhat stale food of his lodgings George enjoyed the meal greatly. Derrington himself did not eat much, but he took great pleasure In seeing George enjoy his viands. After the dinner, during which the old lord was confirmed in his good opinion of George, he said: “There's coffee in the library, and we can talk over our cigars. Up I get. George, your arm.” He not only asked for it, but tool: it with marked pleasure. The fool man in attendance returned to the servants’ hall to state that the “old devil” (the domestic name for Derrington) had quite taken to the new young gentleman. Meanwhile Brendon was seated In a comfortable chair enjoying one of the best cigars he had ever placed between his lips. At his elbow smoked a cup of Mocha, and in the chair on the other side of a roaring fire of sea timber smiled Lord Derrington. He looked a grim and determined old gentleman as be bent his shaggy brows on his grandson. George was very comfortable and also felt grateful for the kindness which his grandfather was showing him. At the same time he felt as though he were acting wrongly In hobnobbing with a man who persistently blackened his mother's memory. “I suppose you wondered when you received my invitation,” said Derrington. “I did, sir. I wondered very much.” “And you felt inclined to refuse.” -“I had almost made up my mind to.” ♦“Why did you change your mind?” George pondered and looked again at his neat shoes. “Well, sir,” said he, after a pause, “I thought that after a dinner we might come to understand each other better, and I am anxious for peace.” “And for recognition of your birth.” “Naturally. The one included the other.”

“Does that mean you will fight till you get what you want?” “Yes,” said George curtly and then closed his lips with a firm determination to give battle If necessary. At the same time he felt It was rather awkward after eating Derrington’s food. A sudden Impulse made him rise. “What’s the matter now?” asked Derrington, not moving. “Well, sir,” burst out Brendon, “I have a feeling that we are going to quarrel, and In your own house, and after that very excellent dinner I don’t want to behave rudely. It will be better to postpone this talk.” “Not a bit of it,” said Derrington quietly. “We are relatives, and quarrels between relatives do not count Sit down. I have something important to say to you.” George sat down and prepared for the worst. “We’ll leave the question of your birth alone for the present,” said the elder In a bard tone. “At this moment I wish to talk of Mrs. Jersey’s death, also about your father’s death.” “What has that to do with this, sir?” “I believe the one Is connected with the other.” George remembered what Bawdsey had said. “I’ve beard that remark before," he observed. “Of course. That detective I employed to watch you made it.” “He did. I think you trust that man too much, sir,” said Brendon after a pause. “Do you? I thought he was a friend of yours?” “Oh”— George shrugged his shoulders. “I saved bls life, but that does not constitute friendship. I don't think Bawdsey Is worthy of your confidence.” “I know he Isn’t But you see I can’t help myself.” George looked up quickly. “Blackmail?” “Something of that sort. I Intend to trust my own flesh and blood—that Is, I Intend to tell you all I know connected with the Jersey case and ask you to help me to get the better of Bawdsey." “Assuredly, sir.” Derrington was rather moved. “I have not behaved well, George.” “That’s true enough, sir,” said George, who was not going to be weak, “but you can make amends by acknowledging that my mother was an honest woman.” “I believe she was, George, for none but an honest woman could have borne a son like you. But, you see, I know no more than you do where the marriage took place." “Do you acknowledge that there was a marriage?" said George, starting to

his feet. "Derrington rose also, and the tall men faced one another. “My boy,” said he, “I am sure there was a marriage. I am sure that you are my legitimate heir, and, by heavens, I Intend to acknowledge you as such before the week’s out.” - Brendon was so moved by this sudden recognition of all he longed for that a sudden weakness seized him, and he sat down, covering bls face with his band. Derrington thought the young man did so to conceal bis tears, but in reality George was putting up a short thanksgiving for this wonderful and bloodless victory. His grandfather again touched his shoulder. “My boy,” he said again, and bis voice was broken with emotion, “I have behaved badly. I ask your pardon.” George put out his hand blindly and grasped that of his grandfather. When It was once in the old man’s grip he raised his grandson with a jerk and made him look him in the face. “You forgive me?” he asked. “With all my heart and soul,” said Brendon quietly, and after another bandshake they resumed their seats.