Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-01-26


tuted my second son my heir. and
padc 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?'
81 cannot say. She told me nothing
of her history, but from a 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 ! cannot say. She came
here TO see mc-we had an interview I'm
this very to demand money
"What threat did she make?"
"She said that she knew where the
marriage was celebrated, adding that
if I 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 abroad?'
mo, sir. Mrs Jersey was re-
markahly clever woman. and if my son
Percy had married her she would have
made a man of him.
Then she really was in love with my
father"
VERY deeply in lovc-as she told me
herself But she did not regard his
memory with such veneraton as to de-
s.rc to aid his son. She was content
that you should lose your rights. pro-
vidcd that / paid her an annuity.
tried in vain to learn from her where
the marriage had been celebrated. she
refused to open her mouth. SO | allow
cd her an annuity of five hundred
year. arranged Chat the money should
be paid through my lawyers, and she
vanishcd.'
"Whcrc to-"
II cant say. She might have gone
to rejoin Mr.. Jersey if there ever was
such n person. She sent n 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"
"To set up boarding house in Amc
liza 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 l was buying old
Lockv,cc g house"
"Why did you buy it,"
L. rf nj, in, hot Il
trict. and wanted to round It off with
this house. Ireland in his rage nj me
for my treatment of your mother,
would not have sold it to me- bought
the house through an agent. Mrs. Jer
sey must have heard of the purchase,
for it was then that she came to me
and asked me to set her up in the
house as IL landlady.'
Il wonder why she did that" said
George thoughtfully.
"She was lonely, understand"
George looked at his shoes. las Eliza
Stokes she lived in that house along
with my mother previous to the elope-
ment. l expect she had kind OF af-
lection for it,"
"Well, whatever her reason was, l
did what she asked She agreed to
pay me rent. and her money was as
good as any one else's. Besides, | felt
that as my ten; mt l could keep her
under my own eye. When she was
away l never knew but what she
might die and part with the secret to
some one else, who might come on me
fn tl. al hn
Mrs. Jersey should have the house. so
she went into it and used the old fur
niture. / don't deny but what she was
a good business woman and made the
house pay. At all events she was
never bchindhand with her rent"
IL wonder she paid you any at ALL"
"Oh, she had her annuity and was
afraid of pressing me too hard re-
fused to let her the house ON seven
years lease. She only had it from
year to year, and in that way kept
a check upon her. She knew if once
lost my temper | would throw her
over and acknowledge you as my
heir"
Il wish you had done SO, said Bren-
IL
lot of trouble"
II do so now" replied Darlington
testify. Better late than never Well
Mrs. Jersey lived and hourished for
fifteen years. | tried to find you out
George, lest she should get at YOU
"Oh, was that why you offered to
make me an Allowance"
ut was. | intended to give you a
yearly income on condition that you
went to Australia. Then | could be
sure that Mrs. Jersey would not seek
you out But you refused my offer
and disappeared.
IL went to college under the name of
BrendOn." observed George
"And that is why Mrs. Jersey never
found you and why l could not come
across you until you put those adver.
tisements about the marriage into the
papers. 1t was that which,
Yes; SO Bawdsey told me. You
had me watched"
II did" said Darlington. "and in
that way found out that you were
going to stop in Mrs. jerseys house"
How did you learn that. siri ask
ed George in surprise. Il never told
any one"
"Oh, yes: you told Lola"
80 l did" said Rrendon quickly
"She bothered me to come and see her