The Central Glamorgan Gazette, and General, Commercial, and Agricultural Advertiser. — 1891-08-21 (Bridgend, Mid Glamorgan, Wales)

CHAPTER LXX. WILICII MORALES BRUINS TO MORALISE. Maritana and Morales, during the period which preceded the trial of Oliver Ilardy,were rarely separated. The noble Don Guzman was considered in the neighbourhood a model of devoted friendship. Let us rejoin these two important personages of our story, on the day on which the trial of Oliver Hardy for the crime of bigamy was to take place. As he had himself expected, he was honourably acquitted of the charge of murder. Duels in those days were only of too frequent occurrence, and the peculiar circumstances of this encounter prejudiced the jury very much in favour of the accused. The same jury were now to try him on the charge of having married Ida Trevillian during the lifetime of his first wife.  The gipsy and her brother were seated opposite to each other in the dining-room of the hotel in which they were staying. Morales, in a pensive attitude, eat with his head resting on his hands, and his elbows leaning on the table. Ho was quite silent, and, strange to say, paid no attention whatever to the very excellent breakfast which was spread before him. Such a transformation in the habits of the Spanish nobleman could not but proceed from some very serious cause. Maritana observed his preoccupation, and questioned him 88 to its meaning. "Come, my dear brother," she said, "what is the matter? You seem as grave and preoccupied as if some desperate catastrophe threatened you! It seems to me, notwithstanding, that our affairs are going on remarkably well; don't you, too, think so ?"  'My dear sister," said Morales, in a most dismal tone ot voice, "I have very melancholy presentiments."  " But on what account, in goodness' name 2" asked Maritana, laughing. "On account of a dream which I had last night." "What! a dream which makes you uneasy 'r" " Yes ; a frightful, horrible dream, the very recollection of which makes me shiver to the marrow of my bones! Listen, and judge for yourself. I thought that we were both in the midst of a great crowd in the market-place of this city; a gibbet of the most hideous appearance was erected, and they were about to hang, without respite or mercy, that unfortunate wretch, your husband." " Well; 80 far I see nothing at all horrible in your dream."  "Wait a little. The condemned man appeared; he mounted the scaffold with the hangman by his side; they put the rope round his neck; the bolt was withdrawn; the crowd burst into a loud shout; the rope stretched to its fullest extent. I shut my eyes. A strange and terrible sensation compelled me to open them, and then, oh, Maritana, I shuddered once more! We were no longer the spectators, we were the heroes of this judicial tragedy ! Oliver had disappeared, and you and I were hang. lag face to face from the same gibbet !" "My dear brother," replied the gipsy-girl, "do you know what Oliver Hardy's death will be worth to us "Indeed I do not."  "It will bring us a million of money. Do you not think that sum very ample payment fox the death of my estitnible husband "hut what do you mean? For you to obtain possessiun of this fortune, Oliver must have made a id; in your favour; now, I think you will own, under present circumstances, he is not very likely to Live &lie that." A strange and enigmatical smile played round the lips of the gipsy-girl. • You shall see," she replied, rising from her peat and quitting the room, which she re-entered after a minute's absence. _ _  She laid before Morales a folded paper, saying to him,. "Look, my dear brother, do you recognise that handwritin.g?.."  "It la Oliver's," exclaimed Morales  "Yon are righi, it is Oliver's. Read it aloud." Morales obeyed, and with a degree of stupefaction and bewilderment which every moment increased, he read the following lines : if/18W, August 241/i, 1771 "Mk is my last will and twitiuneut. _  "At the moment of departing fora duel without secant's, in which I may poesibly be killed, and of which the real motive will always remain a aecret, I herein declare my lust wishes, which, being under we own hand and aignatuns, will be Mdisuutable.