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

The Yellow Ho lly By FERGUS HUME, Author of “The Mystery of a Hansom Cab." Etc.

Dy FERGUS HUME,

Author of “The Mytttry of ■ Hansom Cab.” Etc.

“At first I laughed at him, but he became »uch a nuisance that I told him plainly that I would have nothing to do with him. He then accused me of being In love with my master. I acknowledged It proudly. Why should I not? A woman should glory in her love. I did. I told George Rates that I worshiped the very ground I’ercy walked on. I gave my passionate feelings full vent and bore him to the ground under the storm of my Indignation. Ill 1 t.Jd the other servants, and they Insulted me. especially the English ones, as there were two or three in the hotel. I was persecuted, but I bore all for his dear sake. Then it came to his ears. I’ercy heard what I had said to George Rates. He called me in. He accused me of making him ridiculous, of being out of my mind, of a thousand and one cruel things. I lost my head. I told him how I loved him. I knelt at his feet. I Implored that he would reward my love—my long, long sufferings. He laughed In my tearful face. At that moment I hated him. but not for long. My life was bound up In his. When he dismissed me I thought that my heart was broken. "I was dismissed. He procured a new nurse from England—a Scotch hussy, as ugly as she was silly. I saw her often in Milan after my dismissal. Oh. that time! Oh, those weary days! I wept. 1 prayed. *1 moaned. I was n wreck. With what money I had 1 went to a convent near Milan und stopped there for a month. But I could not remain away from him. I came out. He was gone. 1 went to Inquire at the hotel. He had gone to Rome. Afterward a message came that all letters were to be sent to San Remo. I determined to go to San Remo and to be near him. I would have died else. George Rates, who was still In love with me, proved a willing tool. I could not get to San Remo without money. He offered to advance me the railway fare, and he got me a situation in the Hotel d’Angleterre ns housemaid. He also was going there for the season as a waiter. I said that If he took me to San Remo I would marry him. He did so, and I—but that comes later. Sufficient it is to say that George believed in my .promise and that I found mvaelf again

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS, i CHAPTER I—George Brendon, a youti, . Londoner, visit* his friend, Leonard Train, who bus lodging* in the boarding house kept by Mrs. Jersey. AmOng the boarders la an elderly maiden lady. Mis* Bull. Mr* Jersey I* startled by « piece of yellow boll.' worn by George. 11-George, whole real name is Vane, tells Train the story of hl, life. He is an orphan and the grandson ol Lord Derrington, but the latter retimes t< recognize, the marriage of George * fathei Lord Derrington * io *>, who had eloped . Brendon desire* to establish’ hi* position »► Lord Derrington * heir in order to marry Dorothy Ward. The place of marriage oi George s parents is known only to Mrs. Jersey , formerly maid to George's mother ills mother died at his birth, and his father had been murdered in San Remo. Italy, year* before. Hl—ln the night Mrs. Jersey is killed with a stilleto by an unknown person. IV -Miss Bull take* 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 hud been given to Dorothy by her mother and by the girl to George. VT—Mr. Ireland. George s former guardian, tell* him of his mother's marriage and death mid ids father's murder. The latter wu* killed after leaving a masked ball in company witli a woman a blue domhio — who wore u 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 learn* that tlie latter lives in the Jersey house. VIII- Lola \ elez. a (lancer. is in love with George and is loved by Bawdsey. Lola's parents lived in San Remo nt the time of the murder of Brendon's father. IX and X—Mrs. Ward invite* Train to dinner. He meets Lord Derriington. George visits Dorothy ami makes a favorable impression on hi* 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 wnteh the young mini. Bawdsey warns him that lie is suspected of Mrs. Jersey's murder. Xll—Lord Derrington is visited by Brendon, who tells hi* grandfather that he saw him in Mr*. Jersey s house on the night of of the murder. Brendon demands that hi* f randfather silence Mrs. Ward. Xlll—Lord ierrington visits Mrs. Ward and forces her to keep silence concerning the yellow holly berry found by Train, telling tier 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 will lie forced to give up her lover. XlV—Lola disappears. Bawdsey tells George that Mr. Ireland knows something about liis father's death. Lord Derrington’s power over Mrs. Ward is due to the fact of nis knowledge of her cheating nt 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 as Mi** Bull. XVI mid XVII Lord Derrington makes peace with his grandson. The old man denies that he was in the Jersey house on the fatal night mid tells George that the man he saw was Bawdsey in his employer's coat. Lord Derrington wu* to have visited Mrs. Jerwey that night, to warn her against George's attempt to make her reveal the secret of the marriage of George's parents. Bawdsey had drugged the lord. in order to get Mrs. Sersey’s confession ami money for it. Bawdsey denies that he killed Mrs. Jersey. X.VlH—Miss Bull tells Brendon that it was her sister who was accompanied home by ills father on the night of the latter’* murder. Lola Velez's mother in San Remo owned the daggur with which the murder was committed. XIX and XX—Lola, being in posse*sion of Mr*. Jersey's confession, tries to destroy the church register of the marriage of George's parents, in order to prevent his marriage to Dorothy. Lola is arrested and visited by George, who obtains Mrs. Jersey’s confession from her, after learning from Lola that she had stolen it on the fateful night. Lola had left the daggar (obtained from her mother) in the room with Mrs. Jersey. XXl—Mrs. Jersey's contention. A lady's maid, in love witii Mr. Vane, George's father, she had tried, after the death of his first wifrt, to prevent his marriage to Jennie Howard (now Miss Bull). After the ball, at which she impersonated Miss Howard, wearing yellow holly for identification. she tried to stab him with a dagger obtained from Lola's mother, but was prevented bv Mr. Ireland, who accidentally kflTed Mr. Vane.

heavenly presence —of my adored Percy. “But I had only some to submit myself to fresh anguish. He saw me, but took no notice of me. I was afraid to follow him too closely lest he should ask the police to interfere. George Rates was jealous, too, and I hud to him,.as, failing Percy rewarding my love; I could fall back on George. He was always useful to supply the njdfley for me to get back to England, where I was certain of a situation. I handled the situation in a masterly manner and contrived to see I’ercy without his seeing me and without exciting too openly the jealousy Of “George Rates. “But It was the horrid girl that caused me pain. She was one of the daughters of General Howard, whom Percy had met at Como. The two girls both laid themselves out to catch my darling. But their arts did uot succeed at Como. Jenny was the one who tried hardest to get him, but Violet took her chance also. When they came to San Remo they stopped at the Hotel d'Angleterre. I looked after their room, and, knowing what they were, I made myself their friend. They knew me as the former nurse of Percy’s little son and wondered how I came to be a housemaid. 1 told some story which satisfied them. I forget what it was. They believed In me thoroughly, and they found out that I loved Percy. Then they were amused, and I hated them for It. They told Percy that I ■was watching him, and he came to the hotel no more. But I still pretended to be their friend for iny own ends. There was a masked ball coming off, and the Miss Howards wished,to go unbeknown to their father. I entered into the spirit of the joke. I procured them two blue dominos and each a sprig of yellow holly so that they might know one another. They went to the ball thus disguised. “I went also In the same dress. I had got a third blue domino, and I also wore a sprig of holly. In my pocket I took a stiletto. Why did I do that? Because I was determined to kill any one who tried to make love to my Percy. I knew that Jenny Howard, the little cat, would try to get him to love her, and I would have killed her with pleasure had she become Percy’s bride. As I was masked, I had no fear of being discovered should 1 stab any one, and, moreover, were there trouble, the Misses Howard, being dressed as I was, even-to the sprig of yellow holly, might be accused of any crime that might happen. Moreover, even if I killed Jenny I knew that the two sisters quarreled and that on the evidence of the holly and the domino Violet might be charged with the crime. “About the stiletto. I received that from a low shopkeeper called Velez, who was In love with Percy. She and her husband kept an oil shop, and bethusband was very jealous of her. She was madly lu love with Percy, as I found out when buying something at her shop, and I got to know her intimately. “I heard I’ercy propose to marry Jenny, and 1 was minded then to kill her. I <Jrew the stiletto from my breast and would have rushed forward, hoping to escape In the confusion when 1 killed her. But my heart failed me; even wbeu she was left alone my heart failed me. Jenny took off her mask, and 1 left her sitting waiting for Percy’s return. Then 1 followed Percy and saw Violet join him. I knew it was Violet, owing to the unmasking of Jenny, und, moreover, I had seen Violet listening, as 1 was. She loved him also—the cat! However, I saw that she wanted to get I’ercy out of the place by making him think she was Jenny. She did. I followed. He took her home to the gates of the hotel and left her there. When he was coming back to the bull I stopped him at the bottom of the parade. There was no one in sight. It was late, and a clear moon was shining. “I’ercy thought I was Violet, whom he mistook for her sister. He addressed me in such endearing tones as Jenny and remonstrated so gently about what he called the rashness of following him from the hotel that 1 lost iny temper. 1 snatched off the mask and poured out iny, wrath. Percy burst out laughing when he recognized me. He said—never mind what he said—but It was an Insult, und my Italian blood boiled in my veins. 1 drew the stiletto und rushed on him. At that moment my bund from behind, and I fell. It was that man Ireland, who was then at San Remo, and a great friend of Percy’s. He had wrenched the stiletto out of my hand. For a moment no one said anything, and I arose to my feet. Ireland addressed me as Miss HowardMiss Violet Howard. Percy laughed again and corrected his mistake, saying that I was a lovesick nursemaid whom he had discharged. Then I lost iny temper. “Stop! I must say exactly how it happened. I’ercy was leaning against the parapet of the parade In a careless attitude. He did not even move when I rushed on him with the stiletto, and. bad Ireland not caught my arm I should have killed hlnj. Ireland said that he hnd-followed thinking I

was Violet Howard, to ask me to~return to the hotel. He talked some rubbish about a gentle born English girl being out at night, but when he found that I was only a servant there was no more of that talk. Poor Eliza Stokes could have been out till dawn for all these gentlemen cared. They laughed nt mo. Percy leaning against the parapet, Ireland beside me, holding the stiletto carelessly in his hand. As 1 said. I lost my temper, aud I told Percy what I thought of that fool Rosina Lockwood. He lost his temper also, but that only made me more angry. At last he dashed forward, and I believe he would have struck me but that Mr. Ireland intervened. "I (leh't know exactly how it happened. but Is moving Mr. Ireland evidently forgot how he held the stiletto and put out his hand with the weapon pointing outward. In rushing on me Percy came against it, and it ran right into his heart. With a choking cry he fell dead. I was terrified and began to wring my hands. Ireland knelt down and found that Percy was dead. He seized my wrist and toldjne to hold my tongue lest I should be accused of the death. I said it was his fault. He replied it was an accident. But I had got the stiletto, I had tried to kill Percy, and Ireland declared that if I said anything he would denounce me as the criminal. I was terrified as I

saw the danger |n which I was placed. Ireland suggested that we should

throw the body over the parapet on to the beach, and It would be thought robbers had killed Percy. I agreed, and we threw the body of my darling over. Oh, how my heart ached when I heard it fall on the cruel, cruel stones! “With Ireland I arranged to hold my tongue, and on his part he promised he would say nothing. The next day the news of the discovery of the body came. Senora Velez, from whom I had borrowed the stiletto, knowing of my love for Percy and being in love with him Jierself, accused me Df the crime. I denied it and said that if she did not hold her tongue I would tell her husband how she had loved Percy. She was afraid of her husband, who was a jealous brute, so she remained quiet. I gave her back the stiletto, which I had obtained from Ireland. We were both safe, but I was so 111 that I left the hotel and returned to England. George Rates, who never suspected my share in the death, followed.” It was ‘at this point that George ceased reading. He now knew the worst. His father had died by accident, and Ireland had been the unwitting cause of his death. Brendon wondered how the old man could have carried the knowledge all these years without speaking. He determined to have an interview with him. But at last he knew the truth about the death in San Remo. It inculpated no one, and be could not see how—according to Bawdsey—it could be connected with the murder of Mrs. Jersey. [TO BE CONTINUED.) See Hersh man & Hodges for Farm and City loans and Fire Insurance.

“Percy was dead!"