Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 May 1906 — The Yellow Holly [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The Yellow Holly

By FERGUS HUME,

Author of "The Mystery of a Hansom Cab.” Etc. A A

Copjrrtflbt, 10OS, by G. W. Dillingham Company

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I—George Brandon, a young Londoner, visit, his friend, Leonard Train, »yho ha, lodging, in the hoarding house kept by Mrs. Jersey. Among the hoarder, I, an elderly maiden lady. Mis, Bull. Mrs. Jersey i, startled by a piece of yellow holly worn by George. ll—George, whose rent name is Vane, tells Train the story of hi, life. He is an orphan and the grandson of Lord Derrlngton, but the latter refuses to recognize the marriage of George's father (Lord Herrington's to i), who had eloped. Brendon desires to establish his position us Lord Herrington'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 his birth, and his father had been murdered in Ban Remo, Italy, years before. Ill—ln the night Mrs. Jersey Is killed with a stllleto by an unknown person. IV —Miss Bull tukes charge of the house in behalf of Margery, neice of the murdered woman. The house has been leased from Lord Herrington. 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, fells him of his mother's marriage and death and his father's murder. The latter was killed after leaving u masked Iml! 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 Hull and learns tbut 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 Sun Reino at the time of the murder of Breiidon's father. IX and X—Mrs. Ward invites Train to dinner. He meets Lord Derriingtoii. George visits Dorothy and makes a favorable impression on his grandfather. Mrs. Word learns from Train that the latter found a yellow holly berry near the liodv of Mrs. Jersey. XI George visits Bawdsey, who Is employed by Lord Derrington to watch the young man. Bawdsey warns him that lie 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 tlie murder. Brendon demands that his grandfather silence Mrs. Ward. XIII -Lord Derrington visits Mrs. Ward and forces her to keep silence concerning the yellow holly berry round by Train, telling her that the berry was dropped by George at the finding of the body. Dorothy and her mother see Lola Velez dance, Lola later tells Dorothy that the latter w ill be forced to give up her lover. XlV—Lola disappears. Hawdse) tells George that Mr. Ireland knows something about his father's death. Lord Herrington's now er over Mrs. Ward is due to the fact of his know ledge 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 stllleto. Mr. Ireland tells him that Mrs. Ward was with George’s futhcr at the Sau Remo ball Another blue domino there was Mrs Ward’s sister now known as Miss Bull. XVI and XVII Lord Derrington makes peace with hi, grandson. The old man denies that he was in the Jersey house on the fatal night and tells George that the man he saw was Bawdsey in his employer's eoat. Lord Derrington was to have visited Mrs. Jersey that night, to warn her against George's attempt to make her reveal the secret of tim marriage of George's purents. dswdsey hud drugged the lor'*, in order to get M rs. Sersev’s conlessioti nnrt ituvney for if. Huw’dsnv denies that lie killed Mrs. Jersey. XVII l- Mi-s Bull tells Brendon that it was tier » ster who was accompanied home by his fattier on the night of the letter’s murder. Lola Velez's mother in San Remo owned the daggar with which the murder w its committed. George pondered a little. So far Bawdsey spoke frankly enough, but he could not help mistrusting him. However, since the mau was iu the telling vein, he thought it best to betray no doubts lest Bawdsey should turn rusty. “Well, the discovery Is In your hands,” he said, “and 1 sincerely trust you will gain that thousand pounds. I am ns unwilling ns my grandfather that Mrs. Jersey’s connection with this unfortunate business should become public. 1 am perfectly convinced that the person who took that confession slabbed the unfortunate woman.” “Do you think so?” asked %iawdsey, stealing a glance at the newspaper. George nodded. “The confession was written. 1 learned that much from Margery. Mrs. Jersey told her it was a story. Well, as the confession was not found among Mrs. Jersey’s papers when she died. It must have been taken by some one. But 1 can't think what Interest such a thing can have had for any one unless”— “Unless what. Mr. Brendon?” “Unless It contained the name of the person who assassinated my father.” “How could Mrs. Jersey know that?" "She was at San Homo when my father was killed; she loved him and she used to follow him. llow I learned these things, Bawdsey, does not mutter. But It Is just possible that Mrs. Jersey—or Eliza Stokes as she was then - might have some knowledge of who committed the qrime. If that was set down In her confession (os is highly probable), I can unite understand that the original assassin killed her to gain a dangerous document such as It undoubtedly was.” "Then you think that the assassin of your father was also the assassin of Mrs. Jersey?” “I fancy so, as I can explain the illsappearance of the confession In no other way. And if 1 remember rightly. Ilawdsey, It was you who said that the San Uetno crime was connected with the one committed In this house.” “I did say so,” refilled Bawdsey thoughtfully. He pondered for a few minutes and then looked up brisker. “Well, Mr. Brendon, that point cannot he settled without proof, and there Is no use our wasting time In Indulging lu vain speculations. Let me tell you about the night 1 went to see Mrs. Jotney.” “Go on,” said Brendon, crossing his legs. “T am all attention.” ‘T knew before your grandfather came to see me that you were about to pass the night here. Lola told me.” “Yes, I was foolish enough to tell her; though, to be sure, I had no great reason to conceal my visit to Truln. I never knew that a murder would take place. Ho Lola told you?” Bawdsey nodded. “She did. But 1 never Intended to bother about the matter, as I did not think th#ry waa

anything In your visit. "But "Lord Derrington came and put a different complexion on the utfair. It was his belief that you intended to force . Mrs. Jersey Into confessing.” “I came to uppeul to her,” said Bren don dryly. “There was no thought of forcing in my mind.” “Lord Derrington judged you by himself and thought there might be. I rather agreed with bim. Then, knowing his temper, I fancied if be went to see Mrs. Jersey‘there would b« a row and u scandal, and I did not want that to happen. I was making u very good thing out of Lord) Derrington,” admitted Bawdsey frankly, “and if a scandal had takeu place my occupation would have been gone. 1 therefore determined to drug him and to go myself.” “But why in his coat?” “1 thought that Mrs. Jersey might not admit me. I feared lest she should order me out of the house unless I could gain time by being mistaken for Lm-d Derrington. 1 drugged the old gentle man, and then, taking his eoat and the latchkey, 1 went to see Mrs. Jersey.” “At what time were you there?” “Some time before 12. I cannot say for certain. Well, Mr. Brendon, I let myself in with the latchkey, and I found the house by the red light over the door. In former years it had been my custom to guide myself in that way. I told Lola so.” “Why did you tell her that?” “Oh, she knew that you were going late to the house and made a fuss about the chance of your being lost in the fog. I said that probably Train would tell you of the red light and that you could guide yourself by that.” “Humph! Lola was always unnecessarily kind,” said George. “Well?” "Well, I closed the door softly and went Into the sitting room.” “You knew where that was?” “Of course. Don’t I tell you I once lived in this house? I entered the sitting room. The lamp was burning, and Mrs. Jersey was seated at the table.” Bawdsey shuddered. “There is no need to tell you more. I left the room at once, for the sight horrified me.” “Why did you pause in the hall?” “I thought 1 heard a footstep on the stairs, and the shock gave me one of my fits —the fear of open spaces, you know. How did you come to learn that I paused in the hall?” "Because I had come down the stairs to see who was with Mrs. Jersey.” “Ah! Then it must have been your footstep I heard,” said the detective. “Well, I soon recovered and left tiie house.” "What about the stiletto?" ”1! was lying on the floor near the table. 1 saw it glittering in the lamplight. As there was blood on it and I Baw the wound 1 knew that Mrs. Jersey had been killed by It. 1 slipped it into my pocket with a vague idea that thereby I might trace the assassin.” “Did you leave it purposely in the coat?” "No,” said Bawdsey frankly. "I did not. I was so moved and—as a woman would say—flustered by the death that I forgot all about It. Lord Derrington woke up und went home. I said nothing about the murder to him at the time. I had not the nerve. It was only after be departed that I remembered the stiletto. I thought he might make a row and accuse me of the crime. So that Is all I can tell you.

Mr. Brendon, and you will see that I am not such a bad man ns you try to make out.” “Oh, you have spoken clearly enough,” said George. Then, after a pause: “Yes, I think you are honest, so far as I can Judge. I trust you.” Bawdsey looked delighted. “WUI you have a glass of wlue with me to Bhow that?” he asked, rising. “On the Arab principle of bread and salt?” said Brendon. “Certainly.” Bawdsey nodded in a pleased manner and went to his sideboard at the end of the room. George mechanically took up the newspaper. His eyes were caught by a cross heading, “Strange Affair In an Essex Church,” and by the worda “destruction of the registers.” Just as he was about to glance over the article, never thinking what It meant to him, Bawdsey returned

with the wine and two glasses. He uttered an exclamation of dismay when he saw the paper in George’s hand. “Hang it, I never meant you to see that!” he said. "Why not?” replied George. “Is it this news about a lady tryiug to tear the registers?” He started and looked at Bawdsey, who wus uneasy and pale. “It’s Lola!” said George. "No, and yet—why should you not know? I believe It is Lola, though no name Is mentioned.” George picked up the paper again and read rapidly. No name wus mentioned, as it said that the strange lady who had been arrested refused to give any name. It seemed that she went to Wargrove church und asked to see the registers for a certain year—the registers of marriage. The sexton took the fee and showed the books. Then it appeared thut the strange lady searched for an hour. The sexton left the vestry for a few minutes. When he returned lie saw that she had torn a page out of the book. Being taken by surprise, she had tried to conceal her theft, but the sexton seized her, rescued the torn page and called for assistance. The end of it was that the strange lady—who was described as having a foreign air—was arrested and placed iu prison. “It is Lola!” said George breathlessly. "Yes,” assented Bawdsey, also pale. "She evidently tried to destroy the evidence of your mother’s marriage.” George gave a cry. “Wargrove.” he said, “Wargrove in Essex. It was in the parish church that the marriage took place. And Lola knew—Lola”— lie paused. The eyes of the two men met. [to be continued.|

“I never meant you to see that !"