Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 10, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 June 1906 — The Yellow Holly [ARTICLE]

The Yellow Holly

By FERGUS HUME,

Author of “The My»tery of ■ Hansom Cab.” Etc. .X *4

SYNOPSIS OF PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. CHAPTER I—George Brendon, a young* Londoner, vikits his friend. Leonard Train, who ha* lodging* in the boarding hoyse kept by Mm. Jersey. Among the boarder* i> an elderly maiden lady. Miss Bull. Mr*. Jersey is startled by a piece of yellow holly worn by George. ll—George, whose real name is Vane, tells Train the story of hi* life. He is an orphan and the grandson of LordJJer rington, but the latter refuses to recognize the marriage of George’* father (Lord Derrington's ioi), who had eloped. Brendon desires to establish hi* position a* Lord Derrington's heir in order to marry Dorothy Ward. The place of marriage of George's parents is known only to Mr*. Jersey, formerly maid to George's mother. His mother died at hi* birth, and his father had been murdered in San Remo, Italy, years before. Ill—ln the night Mrs. Jersey is killed with a etilleto by an unknown person. IV—Miss Bull takes charge of the house in behalf of .Margery, neloe of the murdered woman. The house lias been leased from Lord Derrington. V—Mr*. Ward, a hearties* society woman, mother of Dorothy, is opposed to Dorothy’* marriage to Brendon. The yellow holly bad been given to Dorothy by her mother and by the girl to George. Vl—Mr. Ireland, George’* former guardian, tells him of his mother's marriage and death and his father’s murder. The latter was killed after leaving a masked boll in company with a woman—a blue domino—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 s 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 meet* 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 bis grandfather that he saw him in Mrs. Jerseys house on the night of of the murder. Brendon demand* that his Srandfather silence Mrs. Ward. Xlll—Lord errhigton 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 finding of the body. Dorothy 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 tell* George that Mr. Ireland knows something about his father’s death. Lord t>ow er over Mrs. Ward is due to the fact of its knowledge of her cheating at cards. Mrs. Ward produce* the weapon with which Mrs. Jersey was killed, having found it in Lord Derrington’s coat. Lord Derrington confiscate* the stilleto. Mr. Ireland tells him that Mrs. Ward was with George's father at the San Remo ball. Another nine domino there was Mrs. Ward's lister, now known as Miss Bull. XVI and XVII - Lord Derrington makes peace with his grandsoh. The old man denies that he was in the Jersey house on the fatal night and tell* George that the man he saw was Bawdsey in his employer’s coat. Lord Derrington was to have visited Mr*. Jersey 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 f:et Mrs. Seraey’s confession and money for t. Bawdsey denies that he killed Mr*. Jersey. XVlll—Miss Bull tell* Brendon that it was her sister who was accompanied home by his father on the night of the latter'* murder. Lola Velez's mother in San Remo owned the dagger with which the murder was committed. XIX and XX—Lola, being in possession df Mr*. Jersey's confession, trie* to destroy the church registerof 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’* 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 confession. A lady's maid, in love with Mr. Vane, George’s father, she had tried, after the death of his first wife, to prevent hi* marriage to Jennie Howard (now Mis* 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 by Mr. Ireland, who accidentally killed Mr. Vane. CHAPTER XXII. GEORGE read the remainder of Mrs. Jersey’s confession and then put it away. Even when he got to the end he could not connect the San Remo crime with that of Amelia square. It was in his mind to see his grandfather and tell the story to him, backed by the production of the confession. But on second thought he decided to see Bawdsey first. He win'd for an appointment and received a reply stating that Bawdsey was going out of town at 3 o’clock that day. but would be in his rooms till then. Within an hour George was on his way to Bloomsbury. On arriving he found that the detective expected him and went to his room. Bawdsey was still in a disturbed state, as he was most anxious to get down the country to help Lola out of her difficulty. He received Brendon irritably and in silence. George saw that the man wns all nerves and did not resent his sharp greeting. He sat down and opened the conversation. ’’You are going down to see Lola?” he asked. “Of course. lam much worried over her. She may get into serious trouble over this freak." "Well, why not tell the judge she is insane at times? Then she will get off lightly." "Would that be true?" asked the detective. struck by the idea. “As true as most things. She really is not accountable for her actions when she gets into these frenzies, and in such a one she must have been to attempt the burglary.” "Poor soul! I wonder how she Is now.” "Oh, she is not troubled much. Her spirits are as good as usual. She hardly seems to realize the enormity of her offense.” "How do you know?” asked Bawdsey, with a stare. “Because I saw her last night. After I left you I took the train to Wargrove and had an interview with her." “You might have told me, Mr. Brendon,” said Bawdsey in a wounded tone. “What would have been the use of that? 1 can manage my own business, I hope.” ■ “Considering how I love her. it is my business also.”

George shrugged bls shoulders. “Well, you see. Bawdsey, It was your intention to see Lola first. I guessed as much, so I stole a march on you." Bawdsey fenced. “I don’t "see how you can say that.” "I can. You know that Lola was in this house on the mght the woman died.” “I presume so, since she got the confession, and she must have secured it to know where your parents were married.” “Well, then, knowing that, you wished to get that confession.” "Yes, 1 did,” said the detective, “and why not? I desired to know if Mrs. Jersey said anything about the San Remo crime in it.” “I can tell you that She did. I have the confession.” Bawdsey bounded from his chair. “Where is it?” he asked. * “In my rooms, locked away." “I do call tlmt a shame,” grumbled Bawdsey. “You might have trusted me, Mr. Brendon.” “Might I? Would you have trusted me?” “I do. You know I do.” "To such an extent as suits yourself. But would you have shown me that confession had it come into your possession ?” “You are not showing it to me,” said Bawdsey evasively. “That is not an answer. But I’ll show you the confession whenever you like. Come, now, would you have shown it to me?” "Since you have read it, why ask me that question?” snapped the detective. “You know”— “Yes, I know that you would have burned the confession. I know that to have a paper in existence which sets forth that Mr. Bawdsey’s true name is George Rates is not to your liking. You are George Rates?” Bawdsey shrugged his shoulders. “There is no use denying it.” he said. "You have my wife's handwriting.” “Was Mrs. Jersey really your wife?” "She was. We married soon after we left San Remo. She was hard up or she would not have married me.” “And you went to the States?” "We did. There I took the name of Jersey and tried a variety of things, none of which came to any good. Then I left Eliza.” "Why did you do that?” "Because she was a devil,” said Bawdsey, his face lighting up. “I tried all the means in my power to make her bappy, but she was always quarreling and nagging and lamenting that she had not married that Vane—your father, Mr. Brendon.” “Did she tell you about the murder?” "It wasn’t a murder,” protested Bawdsey. “No, she did not tell me, but from a hint or two she dropped .about getting money from Mr. Ireland 1 guessed that he had something to do with it. I came across to England, and I saw him. He told me the whole story.” "Did you get money from him?” “I did not. I am an honest man, although you do not seem to think so. 1 left all that blackmailing to my wife. She came over to get money out of Ireland. He simply said that he would tell the whole truth and call the woman Velez as. a witness about the dagger.” “But that woman is dead?” “Oh, no. she isn't,” said coolly. “Lola told me that she was alive and still in San Remo. She could have made things very hot for my wife. But, failing Ireland, my wife-Mrs. Jersey, we will call her—had another string to her bow. She heard how Lord Derrington denied the marriage, and how you were living with your grandfather Lockwood. She went to Derrington and”— "1 know the rest. And you came to live in this house." "Not at the time. I went back to the States, but as I could do nothing there I returned to England. Then I took up the detective business and called myself Bawdsey. I came to see my wife. She would not let me call myself her husband, and, as I had no great liking for Her, I agreed. I was in this house for a few weeks, and then 1 got rny own diggings. I saw as little of Mrs. Jersey us was possible.” “Why was that?” "Well, sir,” replied Bawdsey frankly. “I didn't hold with the annuity she was getting.” "In a -word, you disapproved of the blackmail?” “That’s a good, useful word, sir,” said Bawdsey easily. “Yes, I did. I never would take a penny from her,’ and when I lived here during the few weeks I paid my board. Yes, sir, I'm an honest man.” “I am convinced you are, Bawdsey, and I apologize for my suspicions. But In some ways—eh?” “I didn’t act very straight, * you mean. Well, sir, I fancied, seeing whgt you know, that you might suspect me of killing her.” , . “No, Bawdsey. As you have acted so fairly all through, I am convinced that you are Innocent on that score. But why did you say that the Ban Remo crime was connected with the death of Mrs. Jersey?" Bawdsey opened his eyes. “Can’t yqy.pee. sirL - The stiletto.”

“OfiTyou mean that tfie weapon used by Lola was the same one as my father was killed with?” “Certainly, Mr. Brendon. It belonged to Senora Velez, the mother. She gave it to Lola, for I saw it in her rooms before the death of Mrs. Jersey, and I recognized it from the description given by my wife." “But there are dozens of stilettos like that one. Lord Derrington showed it to me.” “Yes, that’s true enough, but, you see. from what my wife told me, I knew that she had got the dagger from the woman Velez. It wasn’t hard to see when I dropped across a similar weapon in the room of a woman also called Velez that It was the same. Now you see how it is that Lola knew so much about the death of your father and how she and I came to talk of the matter.” "How did you drop on the subject in the first place?” - , “The name was enough for me. I saw Lola, and I fell in love with her, as you know. Then I remembered the name Velez and got an introduction to her. One thing led to another until I knew the whole story, and she admitted that the stiletto was the one with which Mr. Vane had been killed." George thought for a few minutes. “Tell me, Bawdsey,” he said at length, "did you suspect Lola of committing the crime?” "Yes, I did,” admitted Bawdsey frankly. "You<see, she has a devil of a temper. I never knew that she had gone to see Mrs. Jersey on that night, although I might have guessed It because of the way she tried to learn the whereabouts of the house.” “You mean the crimson light? Her excuse was foolish I thought the other day when you stated it,” said George. "But when did you first suspect her?” "When I picked up the stiletto I recognized it at once. It was my intention to take it round to her, so that she should not be incriminated, but I was .so upset—as I said the other day—that I forgot all about the matter. When I did think it was too late, for Derrington woke up and put on his coat. I wondered whether he would mention the stiletto to me, but be never did.” “Because be knew nothing about it,” said George. “Mrs. Ward stole it, as I told you.” “Oh, I see how it Is now. But I really. did suspect Lola. I asked her if she was in the house. She said that she had been, although she denied it at first” "How did you bring her to confess?” "I threatened to identify the stiletto. Then she told the truth—if it was the truth,” said Bawdsey. “Oli, I think so. I don’t believe she killetl the woman. Since she had got what she wanted—the confession—there was no sense in her committing a murder. No, I quite believe that she threw the dagger at Mrs. Jersey’s feet, as she said.” Bawdsey scratched his bead. “I wonder who did kill Eliza,” he muttered, “if Lola is innocent and I am innocent” He looked at Brendon. “I can't help you,” replied George, rising. "The thing is quite beyond me. It must have been some one in the house.” **No,” replied Bawdsey positively. "Remember Mr. Train heard a door close—the front door—some time about half, past 11” - [TO BE CONTINUED.)