Chapter III. THE DARK LADY LETTICE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 98, 13 March 1875, Page 10

Chapter 111. THE DARK LADY LETTICE.

fiw"^ dwh^ S i? X1 3 d ha T e P° ison€d h er?" exclaimed a hard dew£/°w T l Lett i Cc Bte^ ed forward, and laying her *%!££s£? s> on the apothecaiiy ' s &d^ stUlwe^'^ni 00 !? UP 9 '- bU - f? face buried "i his hands stm wept Dost hear?' cried the fierce woman, stamping her would have practised the poisoner's fell art upon her ? Come ' cowe^^C'Cf^^^^^ ha, beeS^Sned r M> * MC " Se nOM - But '-^ sweM; - tUs " Lettice MiUer," said the monlc, stepping forward "In t house where the foul designs of a poisoner hWbeenTif none caS beaccusedallax-e under suspicion* In the absence of tlss dead Snn^vft^! 1 '^ 9 He J "PWtnal director, take upon me the „ Qil t shnek °,f, f teiTor bJ?l>stb J? l>st ««>m the lips of Mistress Lettice, bold *h?% ISj1 Sj when ' l on the summons of .'Father Hugh, the door of 22.J ?+? + l r WaS thr °-T n Wide> and the Ma y 01 ' of heading, with his clerk and three apparitors, entered. ladv 1^ may ° r glanced at tlie tokening features of the departed "A bad matter this !" he exclaimed, " a bitter business !" m -A «^ nhe tl^ ned to , the monk - ' CG -° od reverend facner," he S^J ? SB f lGth f ou^ dst act with th y wisdom in b ddinS Wilson?^ cc With my Officers " - W^tsaysMaste? cary, l^ Sa^^X'S^-?""^ aP ° the " arresl^ifthc^f "^ hOUSehold lace und - Offl.r^YV^ 1^ 1 ' 688 "' ettice > t]i ou art included with the rest. Officers, detain yon woman. Upon her does suspicion mostly fall, m that she has been most about the person of the Lady Gabrielle " lattice, who had sunk upon a chair on the mayor's entrance had risen at his last words, and was about to retreat to an £2 chamber. As the chief apparitor stepped forward, however The paused, and turning disdainfully to the mayor, she exclaimedo , ori 7T v Jr vaid> , my worshipful master ! I was not about to tZ 1 f ee , bu l t0 % et some money of mine own from a cabinet £ the next chamber, for well I wot, that needful commodity -ft? all the world is most needful to a poor prisoner. For the reS, it is foul slander to charge me with aught of ill towards the Lady GfaSaelle. Was she not my bountiful benefactress ?" "Aye! and thou the serpent which hath stuno- her'" Raid £SS gh< "<food Maste/Mayor," he continuel, S-essS^ that functionaiy, "let this woman be secured. The Church hatS first her charitable office about the corpse of this poor lady who has died unshnved, unanointed, unannealed, through the criml o? the carelesness of her attendants. Then there must be the investi gation of Master Wilson, and the decent cares of Dame HildSd an d her handmaids for this lifeless form." "She is prepared thereto, reverend father," answered the mayor "Dame Hildred and her maidens wait in the gaUery to tend the remains of their mistress." y «-n-rf« dwlly l heym ?i' c than L " ins °lently demanded Lettice who wdl at once assist Dame Hildred in her offices about the dead' SKL 1 ?™? t?y h !? inte^ rit y ia performing them. For the rest! Mistress Lettice, thy presence can be spared. I have summoned - the coroner, and thou wilt be examined anon. But it looks iU f or thee that thy minion the steward, on the arrival here of Father Hugh, should have stolen suddenly away." " How say you, Humphry gone ?" said Lettice eagerly. To be continued.