The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1892-01-01 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

WIC.  "Know him—no—who said tbat 1— "  •. Pray pardon me," interrupted the !Lilian; "I feared, from your agitation, that the young Inall might have been in some manner connected with your grace. the story is, as 1 have said, a very common one. He was an artist; young, handsome, and I am told, clever. In an evil hour, he attracted the attention of a lady of rlmic cud fashion—a beauty, I believe, who was, or pretended to be, in love with him. The fair dange ter IA fashion fooled her besotted admirer with the hope that she would stoop to become his wife. Phu wrote him letters, in which she loudly dwelt upon the avowal id her love. But the flame of +diet:Lion died out beforo a more powerful lire. The star of love sank in the broad sunshine of anthitiou. The lady was wooed by one of the proudest nobles of the land. She hurried to her artist lover; she inildereii him to return those fatal letterer he refusee , ..nd ssti,lu half-a-dozen hours of this refusal be WIL:.a tle.p.l  Lie bu.e beuglitily ; "ibis a vile acautlal agniii.t au iuument woulau."  " What ! " eielanned Lui " doe-i-yeur grace know the lady 't " There W tiB psie,c of some moments. The Duke was silent ; the I).E:ness still fanned herself, still leaned iu a carelessly graceful attitude against the marble chimney-piece, but her eyes had never been withdrar%ii from the face of the Italian.  "You have uut nieutioued—tfie-uttin-e-Of the lady, Signor AlulateNta," she said, after a brief silence, lookiug at the Jeftuit with her sweetest smile.  "M7y iutinuiaut did not tell toe that, your grace," replied Luigi; the lady is iu a very high position, if I understood the story right. It would be euatoely safe to whisper such an accusation agaivat tillll Ludnowerful woman: those who wish to  avenge the death el riuhert itionkton, the ante, must waie and watch for their opportunity," The Duchess smiled; her rosy lips parted, revealing the small pearly teeth, as she mid gazed at the Florentine. " They may have to wait long, Signor Malatesta," she said. "If my informant was correct in his information, they can afford to do so," replied the Jesuit; "the are patient, and they are prepared for many disappointments before they succeed." "Before they succeed in what ? " asked tho Duchess. . . . . . . .  " lu obtaining full proof of this woman's guilt," answered Luigi Malatesta, and in destroyiug the murderess of Hubert Monkton." The Duke was shunt; he sat with his elbow resting upon the velvet-covered cushion of his easy chair, his noble face shrouded by his hand. Theobald Alortimer interrupted this strange conversation. "Why do you talk of such things before her grace, Signor Malatesta ?" he said;"such subjects are not to be discussed in the presence of a lovely and iunooent woman." "1 trust her grace will pardon me," replied the Florentine; "I own that I, was inconsiderate in talking of this husine..s." " Willingly, my dear Signor," said Blanche Mortimer. "1 ant very much interested in tbio subject, as his grace knows," she added, looking significantly at the Duke. "I knew Hubert Monkton—that is to say, I received a few lessons in painting from him, and there was that slight', acquaintance between us which usually exists between a lady and her drawing master. I have heard the circumstances of his disappearance before: but I do uot believe that he is dead, and you may rely upon it, that the persons who told you this absurd story were the secret enemies of the lady whom they accused."  "Her grace is right," said the Duke •4 and let. me beg you, Signor Malatesta, never again to repeat this infamous slander. Indeed, I shall consider it a personal insult if you allude to it in my presence." The Florentine bowed, and shortly afterwerds retired with 'l'heobald Mortimer, leaving the Duke and Duchess together. An hour later, Luigi Malatesta sat writing by the briiiiiint light of his shaded lamp. She is guilty," he exclaimed, pushing away his: papers, as he concluded his work, "she is guilty: she is daring as a tigress, and she carries her secret with &high hand. But the masked woman has told the truth, and the soul of the beautiful Duchess is stained with the foul crime of murder."