PAOLINA, OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10138, 16 January 1911, Page 2

PAOLINA, OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

(OUR SERIAL. -

:• ;y MARIPOSA WEIR, Author of "Evadyne's Temptation," "A Chase~Round the World," etc.

CHAPTER. II. —Continued. "I might very properly ask," replied Paolina with dignity, "how it is you come to address me in that tone. What relations e:ciit between us that can authorise it?" You are neither my natural nor my legal guardian. But I think it better to avoid unnecessary discussion, and endeavour to make you understand .the-.,truth, , to whicli, you peem singularly "blind; You. ask. what change has come over me. I reply that when I first knew you 1 was a more .child. I am now a woman. When I. re-,, garded you as merely an acquaintance, or a friend, and was as yet too young and inexperienced to have a thought that pointed to any other relation, I liked you as a companion, and was frank and unrestrained in my intercourse with you. Within the past year you have approached me in a new character, and my feelings toward you have so changed that instead of the old confidence" and liking, at times I almost fear you, and always feel uncomfortable in your presence. I thought you might have inferred something of this from what I said at our last when you spoke to me on a subject which I supposed was then ended between us forever." The wrath and amazement which had found expression in Grandin's face when the girl began to. speak, were modified as she proceeded by a shade of something like alarm. What she said was uttered with a certain sincerity and conviction, that could not fail to . to impressive. It was ■ aliio .spoken with ; a firmness; and decision that' almost made him doubt the identity of the speaker. Yet his admiration and passion, fat from recei wng a check from this strong manifestation of aversion to him, were increased tenfold. ■ "There's more in her than I thought," he said, to himself. "She is better than I ever dreamed, and I'-i win her in spite of herself, and in spite of all the world!""Paolina," he said, "I fear your explanation is not quite ingenuous. Are you sure there is not something more in this sudden change £>f your feelings towards me than you have stated ? ' Is there not some man who has come between us? Have you not a lover?" The flush . that overspread her face might have been the flush o£ indignation, but Grandin. did not so interpret it. ' "If it is as I suspect," he resumed, "let tlie man who crosses my path beware, for I will crush him as 1 remorselessly as I would a scorpion! Ever since I have known you I have ' determined that you should be mine. I have so trong a feeling that you were meant for me, that you belong to me by natural right, I experience such a sense of just resentment against anyone who shall dare make pretension to you that I swear I will kill the offender with no more consciousness of guilt than I should have in shooting "the burglar who was breaking into my premises." "Enough, sir," said r*aolina, rising with the digmty o'f an offended queen, "your assumption is monstrous, and your language is ruffianly. I have lieard that this masterful style of wooing is successful with savages and barbarians, but you will learn that I am not' to be appropriated like a chattel. I hid you good morning, sir!'' Her voice, her glance, lief attitude, wero eloquent of proud defiance. She made a stately inclination, and moved toward the door. . "One moment," said Grandin, placing himself before her; "I have a few words to say which had better be said now, so that there may be , no mistake between us. Only a moj ment, and I wi.i promise to eiidea- ' vour to avoid anything that may give offence." "Speak, then,", she said, pausing where she stood; "and I beg you to be as brief as possible." "Will you not be seated," he asked in a conciliatory tone, and after -an instant of hesitation she sank into the chair placed for her, and assumed an attitude of cold attention. , CHAP.. J'-R TIT. AN OBSTINATE WOMAN. "If I am to listen to you," said Paolina as she seated herself, "there must be no attempt to further introduce subjects which a person with no claim upon my confidence and no right to assume the slightest authority over me, cannot with propriety undertake to discuss." "Paolina," said Grandiu, "I will 1 avoid the subject, my allusion to which has already riven you offence.

But I cannot say what must be said in order that wo may come to an explicit understanding, without using language which you may consider threatening." Paolina started at the word "threatening," faced him with a defiant gleam in her eyes, and was about to retort angrily. She changed h~.i' determination, however, and simply said: 'Proceed, sir." "If I read in the sky the tokens of a-coming storili," resumed Miles Grandin, " and declare that it is at ; hand, I am not to be held respons- , iblo for its ravages. And if I know 1 from the constitution of my own nature that I shall bo inevitably impelled to a certain course in a cer- | tain event, 1 may indicate tire fact without moaning to utter a, threat." Grandin laid down this extraordinary doctrine with the utmost gravity. Paolina bluntly declared that she did not understand his meaning, and begged him without further preface to come to the point. "You are no longer a thoughtless I girl," he resumed. "You have become, all at once, by some mysterious process, a mature and sagacious i woman. Now, I want you' to con-' sider what chance you will stand in the attempt to oppose me. lam reputed to be a millionaire. With money I have cunning and audacity. .1 can purchase the most efficient and unscrupulous tools. I can paralyse the vigilance of the law, and weigh, the adverse scale "of justice with my gold. , I can do things yet more desperate, and, if need be, I will not shrink from them. You stand comparatively friendless and almost alone. Bo you think it will b© ah easy task to baffle me?" "Do "you mean to, tell ir\e that I am .'to have no choice, that I am riot to bo treated as a free agent?" "I mean to assure you that I will accept no dismissal or rejection: that I regard you as mine, as the destined partner 6f my career and that my heart is set upon you, that so long as I breathe I never will relinquish my purpose! Nothing can discourage my pursuit. Opposition, obstacles, danger, will, only serve to strengthen the intensity of my passion. Escape from me is impossible." Paolina's spirit swelled with indignation. But she well knew, wildly as he talked, 'that his menaces were not • the mere .blustering rodomontade of . the villain of a melodrama. She be- } lieved that he meant all he said, and I even her brave and intrepid spirit j quailed for an instant under the sick- | ening faintness of fear, as her imag- ! ination dwelt upon, the possible nature of the conflict which must follow a rupture with this dangerous man. "Mr Grandin," she said, meeting his gaze fearlessly and speaking ' irt calm and steady tones, "would you I pursue in tlie manner you have spoken of a woman who did not love you ? Would not your desire to make me your wife cease if you were once thoroughly convinced that I felt an instinctive and irremovable antagonism toward you?" "I could not bo made to believe any such feeling is invincible. I have | unbounding faith in my ability, with ] time and opportunity, to conquer any such feeling which you may have now toward me." "Let me destroy that illusion," she returned, still in the same tone. "I assure you that your whole character is unspeakably repugnant to me! The thought, of a life shared . with you thrills me with horror! Do I not speak plainly? How is it possible for you not to understand the truth?" This was strange and offensive language to a suitor; but Grandin seemed little affected by it. "After our last interview," he said, 1 : as he rose to depart, £ "I resolved to precipitate matters by making a bold •step. Iu fact, I made arrangements for our immediate marriage, but "Sir," cried Paolina, rising. "I will endure this amazing insolence . no longer.. Your visits to me must cease with this interview. I shall refuse to see you again." ...... ■ "Ah! If your intent," he said, in a graver tone, "if you actually go so ,f£tr as to refuse to see me, I you will , compel me to resort to high-' .handed measures." To be Continued.