The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-12-02
THE UNION TJMyl


the continent with his wife. never
did see him again." added Darlington
quietly, for three years later he was
murdered at San Reno"
"In his letter to you did my father
say he WAS marriedr
"Hc did. but at the time, as he did
not say where the marriage was cele-
brated, thought he mentioned it out
Of obstinacy."
George colorcd. II don't see why you
should have so misju1ged my mother"
he said hotly. Admitting that she was
not born in the purple, she was in
good position and had no reason to run
away with my father"
"She was in love with him, be-
lieve"
Even then she would not have
elopcd unless it was to be married"
Derrington nodded. You are per-
fectly right" he said. 81 tried to dis
believe in the marriage, but in my own
heart | knew there was one. l have
behaved very badly, George"
You have. sir. But as we are now
rcconciled the less said about the thing
the better. You are quite sure you do
not know where the marriage was cell
ebrated?"
NO, George, l do not. After the
death of your father tried to find out,
but it was impossible. Had really
seen the register Of the marriage l
should have acknowledged you as my
heir. AS 4 matter Of fact" added Der
rington. with a burst of candor, II did
not trouble much to search, as feared
lest the marriage should be verified"
George wriggled In his seat. "Let us
say no more" he said.
Very good. l have confessed my
sins, and I have received absolution
from YOU. At the present moment we
will leave the murder of your father at
San Reno alone and come to the ap.
pearancc of Mrs. Jersey in my life
You were with your grandfather Lock
wood in Amelia square. had consti-
tuted my second son my heir, and l
had relegated to obscurity the esca-
pade Of my son Percy. All was nicely
settled, in my humble opinion, when
Mrs. Jersey appeared to make trou-
bic. That was eight years after your
fathers death"
where was she in the meantime?"
Il cannot say. She told me nothing
of her history, but from word or. two
which she let slip believe she must
have been in the United States. Why
she went there from San Reno or for
what reason l cannot say. She came
here TO sec me-we had an interview in
this very room-to demand money"
What threat did she make?"
"She said that she knew where the
marriage was celebrated, adding that
If l did not give her an annuity she
would go to Lockwood and help him
to prove that you were my legitimate
grandson and heir" -
did she say IL the marriage was
celebrated in England or abroad2i
"No, sir. Mrs. Jersey was q re-
markably clever woman, and If my son
Percy had married her she would have
made man Of him." 30
''rhen she really was in love with my
father?"
Every deeply in love-as she told me
herself. But she did not ragaEd his
memory with such veneration as to de-
sire to aid his son. She was content
that you should lose your rights, pro-
vided that l paid her an annuity.
tried in vain to learn from her where
the marriage had been celebrated. She
refused to open her mouth, so l allow
ed her an annuity of five hundred n
year. l arranged that the money should
be paid through my lawyers, and she
vanished"
"Whcrc to-"
Il can't say. She might have gone
20 rejon Mr.. Jersey if there ever was
such person. She sent messenger
regularly to the office of my lawyers
for the money, but did not trouble me
In any way. Her next appearance was
shortly after the death of your grand
father"
what did she want this tme?"
'To set up Il boarding house in Ame-
lia square. She said that her life was
lOnely-a remark which made me think
Mr.. Jersey was Il myth-and that she
wanted company. | expect she learn
ed in some way that / was buying old
Lockwood's house"
"Why did you buy itT'
81 have Il lot of property in that dis
trict, and l wanted to round it off with
this house. Ireland, in his rage at me
for my treatment of your mother,
would not have sold 1T to me- bought
the house through an agent. Mrs. Jer-
sey must have heard of the purchase
for 1t was then that she came to me
and asked me to set her up in the
house as landlady."
81 wonder why she did thatT said
George thoughtfully.
'She was lonely, understand"
George looked at his shoes. "As Eliza
Stokes she lived in that house along
with my mother previous to the eiope-
ment. l expect she had kind of af.