Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 April 1906 — The Yellow Holly By FERGUS HUME, Author of "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.” Etc. [ARTICLE]

The Yellow Holly By FERGUS HUME, Author of "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.” Etc.

By FERGUS HUME,

Author of “The My Mery of a Hansom Cab.'* Etc. A *4

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I—George BrendoD, a young Londoner, visits his friend. Leonard Train, who lias lodgings in the boarding house kept hy Mrs. Jersey. Among the hoarders is an elderly maiden lady. Miss Bull. Mrs. Jersey is startled hy a piece of yellow holly worn hy George. If—George, whose real name is Vane, tells Train the story of his life, lie is an orphan anil the grandson of I.ord Herrington, but the latter refuses to recognize the marriage of George's father iLord Herrington's sou!, who had eloped. Brendou desires to establish his position as Lord Herrington's heir in order to marry Dorothy Ward. The place of marriage of Georges 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 Sun Remo, Italy, years before. Ill—ln the night Mrs. Jersey is killed with a stilleto hy 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 Herrington. V—Mrs. W’urd. 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 hy the girl to George. Vl—Mr. Ireland. George’s former gtiardluu, tells him of his mother's marriage and death and hie father's murder. The latter was killed after leaving a masked bail 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 Herrington. 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 hy Bawdsey. Lola's parents lived in San Reino at the time of the murder of Brendon’s father. IX and X—Mrs. Word invites Train to dinner. He meets Lord Herrilngton. George visits Horothy 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 Derringtou to watch the young man. Bawdsey warns him that he is suspected of Mrs. Jersey’s murder. Xll—Lord Herrington is visited by Brendon, who tells his grandfather that he saw him in Mrs. Jersey s house on the night of of the murder. Brendou demands that his grandfather silence Mrs. Ward. Xlll—Lord errington visits Mrs. Ward and forces her to keep silence concerning the yellow holly berry found by Traiu, telling her that the' berry was dropped by George at the finding of the body. Uorothy and her mother see Lola Velez dance. Lola later tells Dorothy that the latter 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 Herrington's power over Mrs. Ward is due to the fact of his knowledge of her cheating at cards. Mrs. Ward produces the weapon with which Mrs. Jersey was killed, having found it In Lord Herrington'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 as Miss Bull. XVI and XVII Lord Derrington makes peace with his grandson. The old man denies that he was in the Jersey house on the fatal night and telis George that the man he saw was Bawdsey in his employer’s coat. Lord Herrington was to have visited Mrs. Jersey that night, to warn her again-t George's attempt to make her reveal the secret of the marriage of Geprge's parents. Bawdsey had drugged the lord, in order to get Mrs. SArsey’s confession and money for it. Bawdsey denies that he killed Mrs. Jersey. ,

Herrington proceeded with his account of his doings on that night’ “As I said, I went to see Bawdsey at his rooms. I took a cab, , and as the fog was thick I had considerable difficulty In finding the place. Thd rain and fog chilled me, for I am not so young as I was, and when I arrived I was shivering. But I was too anxious to tell Bawdsey about Mrs. Jersey to trouble. He heated some water to give me a glass of hot whisky. AVbile the water was boiling I told him I was going to see Mrs. Jersey. He asked me how I could get into the house without being admitted by one of the servants and thus run a chance of my being known.” “Did it never strike him that Mrs. Jersey expected you and would admit you when you rang?” “Yes, it did strike him, but he knew that I didn’t want any one to know 7 that she had a visitor so late at night.” “I don’t know why you took all these precautions, sir.” Herrington smiled dryly. “Perhaps they were rather unnecessary, but I thought it best to be on the safe side. As a matter of fact, I had a latchkey.” “I thought that Mrs. Jersey never allowed latchkeys.” “This one came to me when I bought the house and w 7 as given to me by the agent. I told Mrs. Jersey I had it and that I would let myself in. She expected me at 11.” “I know she did,” said George, “for on that night she asked the boarders to bo in bed by 11 and broke up her party at 10. I wondered if she was having any one to meet her then.” “She was expecting me. It was after 10 when I told Bawdsey, and I explained to him that I had a latchkey. He gave uie the whisky, and. being chilled, I drank it. Then I fell asleep,.” George looked up suddenly. “The whisky was drugged,” he guessed. “It was,” assented Herrington, “and while 1 was insensible Bawdsey took the latchkey out of my pocket and put on rpy coat. He is rather my height, so with that nml the fur coat I expect he passed himself off as me to Mrs. Jersey until she saw his face.” “When she did, she w 7 ould have nothing to do with him. Although,” added George, “he was an old boarder In the house.”

“Walt till I tell you the rest,” said Herrington, “end then you can give an opinion. When I awoke It was after 12. I never suspected that the whisky had been drugged and thought that it was some sort of Illness. Bawdsey was iu the room when 1 awoke. He did not tell me that he had been to Mr's. Jersey, and I now saw that It wus too late to go. He advised me to see her on the morrow, saying that it was doubtful if you would speak to her ou that night.” “I intended to wait till the next day, but, as a matter of fact, I became anxious to see if any one was with

her, and I went down the stairs.” “By met’ns of that secret door. Bawdsey told me.” “Well, I crept downstairs and saw —as I thought—you. It was, of course', Bnwdsey. He wits standing at the door of the sitting room. I was afraid lest .you—as l.Jhought it was—should sec the. so I jvent upstairs again." “Anti Bawdsey left the house. However, I never suspected him. I went home and found Mrs. Ward waiting for me. She tame to tell me that she had heard from Dorothy that you pro posed to stop with Train at Mrs. Jersey’s house, and came to warn me.” “How good of Mrs. Ward!” “She is a dangerous woman, George. I threw my coat on yonder sofa, and she sat near It. Feeling something in the pocket, her curiosity led her to take opt the something when I was absent from the room. It was a stiletto.” George started from his seat. “A stiletto?” “Yes.” Derrington opened the drawer In his desk and took out the weapon which Mrs. Ward had brought. “This was between the fur and the lining of the coat. What with the weight of the coat and the position of the weap on lying along the bottom of the coat I never guspected it. I brought it home quit* unconsciously. Mrs. Ward found it, took it away with her and came the day to accuse me of having murdered Mrs. Jersey.” “How dare she do such a thing?” “Oh, Mrs. Ward is capable of all things 1 However, you can see from what I tell you what happened. Bawdeey put the stiletto in my coat and either forgot to take It out or left It there so that I might be incriminated.” “Did he tell you this?”. “He told me, when I rebuked him too sharply, that he could get me Into trouble. He also referred to the stiletto. I denied that I had seen it, and it was only when Mrs. Ward brought it the other day that I saw that this part of Bawdsey's story was true.” “What did you do?” “I accused him of having killed the woman.” “What did he say?” “He denied that lie had done so. He declared that he went to Mrs. Jersey's sitting room door close upon 12, having let himself in noiselessly by the front door. He discovered Mrs. Jersey lying dead, as she was found in the morning. On the floor was the stiletto. Fearing lest he should be accused of the crime, Bawdsey left the house quickly, but took the stiletto with him so that he might find out who had done the deed. He changed his mind or left it by mistake in my fur coat.”

“Hid he ask money?” “No. He has not done so yet, but he told me very plainly that no one could prove that he had been in the house on that night, and that if he had been seen the coat would make people think it was I.”

“Exactly what 1 did think,“ said George. “Well, I had to hold my tongue, for you see I was in a most awkward position, and I could prove nothing. I bluffed Mrs. Ward, but if the matter came into court things would look extremely unpleasant for me.” “I can see that,” said Brendon, “but Bawdsey”— “He has made himself secure, as no one can prove that he was in the house on that night. Even you thought It was I. I can’t say for certain if Bawdsey committed the murder or if he really did find the woman dead, as he said, but he swears to his innocence. As yet he lias not made any use of his power, but I am quite sure that he will try to get money out of me, so I have asked you here to advise me about the matter.” “Ho you think Bawdsey has the confession ?” “He may have. If so, he knows where the marriage was celebrated!” Brendon muwMl for a time. “I think it best to do nothing at the present moment,” he said. Bawdsey Is friendly to me, as I saved him from being run over. If he thought I knew this, he might turn crusty and make trouble!, Better wait.” "For what?” asked Herrington restlessly. '"“To see what he will do. If he does blackmail you, call me in. lie’s a scoundrel, but I know how 7 to conquer him.” CHAPTER XVIII. MISS BULL was alone In the sitting room of the late Mrs. Jersey. Margery had gone out shopping, and the old maid was left to her , own resources. Her thoughts were sad. Here she waß, an old spinster dragging out a miserable old age in a London lodging house, while her sister lived and fared sumptuously in accordance with her position. “It can’t last much longer,’* said Miss Bull, with a slfeh. “I am getting old, and the end is coming. The sooner the better.” As she gave vent to this dreary sentence there was a ring at the door. Miss Bull paid little attention to it, as she never had any visitors. But this proved to. be an exception, for George was admitted into the room.

He aSvancetF eordially toward Miss Bull. “I have come to see you again, you see,*’ said Brendon. “I am very ..glad to see yon, Mr. Brendon,” she said. “You have come to make further inquiries lively to forward your fight for your^Jrthrlght?” George laughed. “There’s no need for that, thank God," said he; "my grandfather has agreed ts> acknowledge me.” “Then there was a marriage?” “I cannot be certain of that yet. How do you know about that?” Miss Bull answered quietly: “You told me last time you were here that you .were Lord Derrington’s grand son,Wind I heard that there was some doubt about the legitimacy.” “I know it was common talk at one time,” replied Brendon, satisfied with this explanation. “Did Mrs. Jersey ever speak about it?” “No, She never did. What did she know ab<pit It?” “I think you can best answer that qfiestion. Miss Bull.” “I don’t know to what you allUde, Mr. Brendon.” “Perhaps if I allude to your life in San Remo you”— Miss Bull started to her feet, and the cup she held fell on the carpet. “San Remo?” she muttered. _ J*Y*s, Miss Howard,” said Brendon, using her real name purposely. The little old maid put one thin hand to her head. “Miss Howard!” “The daughter of the late General Howard!” said George. “My father was a general?” “lie was. General Howard. You are Miss Jenny Howard.” Miss Bull started and then sat down. Her face expressed pain. “He used to call me Jenny. Jenny Howard. Yes, there was a happy girl of that name, but she—she died.” “Not at all,”, said Brendon briskly, to arouse her from this dreamy state.. “She lived and changed her name to Bull.” [to bb continued.]