PAOLINA. OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10141, 19 January 1911, Page 2

PAOLINA. OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

(CUR SERUt..-

Hj MARIPOSA WJSIE, Author of""Evadyne's Tesrptairon," "A Chase Round I'm WorliV etc

j i'undorson. "have you any idea who the two unfortunate persons were who wore in the building when it took lire, and who iv.-.o probably out of their misery by this time?" Kimjo said he hadn't the slightesl idea. j "I »!-!(.--;!d think it was you who ought •;•>; know," he added after rf pause. * "I have no objection to telling what I know about the matter," returned Punderson. "You know there was an outbreak in the State prison yesterday. Well, I knew it tvas to come off* 1 Wanted to meet certain of the 'escapes' at a convenient place, sufficiently near North Beach, where I expected them to come ashore, and sufficiently removed from the more frequented parts of the city. Your house suited me, and I hired it. I met my 'escapes-,' transacted my business, and they left before midnight—all but one. He had drank too much of your whisky, and wanted to remain all night. I quit at a quarter before twelve. I suppose he must be one of j the two persons now in the hospital. To-morrow I shall call there and | ascertain. As to the other person, I have no idea Avho he was. Certainly he was no one whom I introduced into the house. I did fancy at one time that I heard some One stirring in the little loft over the bar, but I suppose it must have been rate." "There's plenty of them there," said Kinge, avoiding the gaze that Pun'derson fixed upon, him. - "And now," said the latter, rising, "I'll go and: attend to your little matter. I'll meet you here with the cash at twelve, sharp." ,; A MESSAGE FOR THE DOCTOR. ■ / Scene, a ward in the City and County Hospital. A bed, on which is the form of a boy or young man. It is difficult to infer the age of the patient, for his face seems to have received serious injuries of some sort, and so much of it as is discernible is discoloured as if burned. There is a. patch over one eye, and the 'head seems almost denude of hair. Beside the bed sits a slim girl of perhaps sixteen, or, possibly, less. She is tall, with a thoughtful face., and wonderfully fine gray eyes, bjufc she is not'pretty, and her figure strikes;the. observer as awkward. Her dress is inexpensive, advocating attempts at trimness. Still, there is about-her-an air of re/Inemeiit. "I was-ill hppes :you would be better -p-day," said, the girl. "Instead of that you seem to be worse. I thought' the applications , would soothe.the burns." :; ,;' ■ ' ■•'." "It isn't the burns," said the patient, "though they, are bad enough. But I could stand them if they .were fifty times as bad. But I hate to,be a layin' round all this time a doin' nothing. You see, Cine. I heard some strange things that night. There's a/big game a goin' on, ya big and wicked game, and I want to be stirring around and havin'; ,a hand in it—that is, havin' a hand in preventing it. I.i s the thoughts of that and' other such matters, and of you sometimes, that keeps troubling me.'"- -.;' _ '■ '.. .' .. ■'. " "You needn ; t worry about ine," returned the girl, with the air of one not skilled, in the art of administering consolation. : "I'm 'very, comfortable with Hannah and Mother Hagburn, and they are very glad, to see me. Besides, you must uno>r stand that I am paying, my way, and ; am under no obligation except as a , boarder might be, when the landlady is kinder than landladies generally are. : I'm doing very well, just now. There's-' a store on Montgomery Street that will, take all the tatting I can make.," "I am glad to hear that, Gina. But you haven't told Hannah or'the old lady about Seth, I hope. It would not do for them to come here • . it might lead to his recapture.". "No, no, Zip; I did just as you said. But you haven't told 'me how you escaped frfom the burning house, yet." : - To be Continued. [

CHAPTER V.—Contini ', ; . So .saying, ho evened a «»-\3 containing a- small galvanic battery, and tliis ho proceeded to prepare for use. When this was done he fastened one, of the poles to the animal's paw with a strip of cloth, and attaching a moistened sponge to the other pole, freely • applied the current, first to the breast and then to the spine. Under this treatment the animal soon gave signs 'of returning life, and in less than five minutes sat•,up on: his hind legs and Uttered a long, dolorous howl. "This .is most interesting," said Grandin, when, after some•" further conversation, he took his hat and prepared to depart. "I think, doctor, that tho anaesthetic of the Italian is well worth what it cost." CHAPTER VI. MR KINGE FEELS UNCOMFORTABLE. It was a pleasant morning, and Mr { Richard Kinge felt remarkably pleased as he jingled ten. golden eagles in his pocket, and took his seat at the breakfast table. This was the sum he had received from Mark Punderson for the use of his store for twenty-four hours. He unfolded a damp copy of the Alta, and almost the first heading on which his eye alighted made him start. !•■• A few moments before he had liad a voracious appetite, but now he could not eat a mouthful. '■.':'. He read an account of the utter destruction of his store, on the previous night, by fire. The..rescue of two persons, severely burned, was graphically pictured, and'due credit given to the brave men. These persons had been conveyed to the County Hospital, the report stated, and, furthermore, that they could not possibly recover. Who were these persons? Kingo was anxious to know. Could one.of them be Punderson? He hastened to the spot, where, the day before, his store had stood; but now nothing remained there but a mass of charred and smouldering ruins. Terribly excited he faced southward, and in a few moments was at the City Hall. He was about to enter the office of the chief of police, when a man tapped him on the shoulder. "I know your business here, Richard Kinge,'' said the stranger, for SO' he appeared to Kinge. "You wish to lodge a complaint against Mark Punderson for setting fire to your house." "And who the deuce are you ?" asked Kinge, somewhat frightened. "You don't recognise me? Then Pignolet must have done his work 1 well. I am Mark Punderson.' "Good heaven! Your mother would not recognise you." "No;,I am well disguised. But, come,, we .will adjourn to the Ivy Green." . : In a private room of this well-known hostelry, over a stimulating punch, Kirige announced the extent of his loss, declared that there was no insurance, and asked for indemnification. Some haggling ensued on the part,of Punderson, but he at last agreed to give Kinge 1,750 dollars in cash. This j sum the latter considered a satisfactory equivalent for the loss he had sustained. "And now," said Punderson, "I must exact strict secrecy in regard to this matter. If there is the slightest '-ittempt to interfere with, me, there >\ ill soon be a necessity for Mrs Kinge i;> go on a shopping excursion for a becoming suit .of mourning." Kinge saw that his companion was in earnest in what he said —this was' no idle threat, and he felt uncomfortable. "You must conjecture," continued Punderson, "that I am not acting for i-ysslf.. but that I am merely the of a- rich' and powerful principal." "The man who interferes with him or his agents is sure to get into trouble." "Well, I haven't interfered, have I?" said Kinge, shifting uneasily. "I am not so sure of that," said Punderson, eying him sharply. "But whatever you have done or tried to do, to pry into my affairs, will be forgotten, provided there is no future meddling. Again Kinge felt a cold thrill agitate his frame. ' ' j "By the way, Kinge." continued '