PAOLINA. OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10143, 20 January 1911, Page 2

PAOLINA. OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

(OUR SERIAL..

Ey MARIPOSA WEIE, Author cj "tvaayne's Temptation," "A Chase Round ;';ta WorJiy etc.

CHAPTER Vll.—Continued. He described how, groping in the dark, he found a brass handiron, which enabled him to break open the shutter. Dropping to the ground and hurrying to the front of the house lie found that Punderson had left the door open to create a ! draught, and thus assist the Sanies. Making his way through the fire, regardless of personal peril, he dragged the unconscious Seth towards •: the. softie daring firemen',"'- wJtq in a 'few' moments had both in the outer aiv. ? ; ; "NoWjr>'(!f?na," he added,'' ".voir know about all I 'went to tell you just now. I would have betrayed the fiend who caused it all long before now, only Seth begged me not to do it for his sake, as it would lead to his arrest. But, Gina, there's some tilings I heard that night which ought to he told to my ven'rable protigy—l mean the old doctor, or 'the gen'J', as hi 3 Chinyman allers calls him—and they ought to he told to him right off. So, as I can't get to see him, and I ain't, very handy with a pen, he must come to see me. And I'm afraid I'll have to ask you, nry Princess, to do me the kindness of. carryin' a .message for me." Gina expressed her readiness ■ to do the errand, whereupon Zip directed his "Princess"' as he often call-, ed her,, how to find ■"Pfeiffer's Folly," told her whom to ask for, and.repeated the.message which lie wished to have delivered. . In a short time after the close of 'this interview Gina, was on her way to the house of Doctor Speretti. CHAPTER Vm. • , ■-, •.... ;■■■ ■ OUT. OF pANGER, A few minutes after leaving the hospital, Gina became aware that a man was following her. At 'easa such seemed to be the eas3, for he maintained a certain regiiated distance behind her, aceoaitn.elating his pace to hers, pausing when she paused, an J turning wli9n she turned. She was not much ..ilar.n d (i.r it was broad day, and fhe.v »c-je people continually within sight an.i roaring. In order to niu'io "!'in whether her, suspicion was wjl If on tided she went several, tim js ;mt, of Inndirect way, returning to it after many doublings and windings. When she found that the man still' followed her, she,resolved to avail: herselfof the first,good opportunity to get such a look at the man as would-enn able lief to identify him on.any future occasion. To accomplish this she suddenly turned around and approached a drug store window, thus meeting him face to face. Being surprised by this unexpected movement, the man determined to brazen it out. Advancing toward her, he said: j . "Excuse" me.for having followed, yon, my good girl, but, I saw you coma out of the hospital, and I'd. like to ask you a question or two about a couple of friends of mine v.h) are iii there." '"Yo.i bad better go in and ask about your friends yourself," said Gina, looking keenly at him. "I do not know who you are, and how should I know about your'friends P" "You might have heard something said about two persons who were got out' of' the house : on ■ TelegraphHill that burned down last week. I saw ail item* in the papers about them being taken to the, hospital in a dying condition." "Are those the friends you speak of?" asked Gina. Something in the girl's manner, or in the question she propounded j caused the stranger to start as if unpleasantly surprised. Perhaps he had not expected to find his interlocutor so cool and observant. "Yes, it is of them that I want to learn. Is there any hope of them getting over their injuries?" "That is strange," returned Gina. "I thought no 0110 knew who they were. The .papers said they were too much disfigured to bo identified." The stranger scowled, and an evil light gleamed in his eye. He muttered an oath as he glanced up and down the, street, and Gina felt thankful that it was full of people coming and' going. She would not for' the world have been alone with the man at that moment out of human sight and hearing. He turned and walked rapidly away, and Gina, after pausing to reflect a moment, concluded that she would carry out her original intention, and carry Zip's message to Pfoiffer's Folly, taking due care that she was not watched and dogged by the man who had just left > her. ' !

I Thirty minutes' walk brought her in front of the ambitious structure, which shereadily identified from the description Zip had given her. A stout Chinaman, thoroughly Americanised as far as his costume was concerned, issued from the front door, just as Gina was about to pull the bell. Of him she inquired concerning Doctor Spiretti. Chang informed her that the "geu'l" was at home, and having shown her into a little reception room off the hall, upstairs to*''surampn.lirs ma's-' ter." 1 ' -' Atinbnfent"'i'atef""tiie" doctor presented himself ; in. the • reception room, and Gina,"having delivered her message, was preparing to take her departure when the old man, who had started at the first sound of : her voice, stayed her with a sudden* gesture. "Remain yet an instant, my child," lie said in a, gentle tone. My eyes fail itie, and I desire to see better your features before you go." So saying he stepped, to the window and raised the shade so'as to admit more light into the room: j With his back to the window, he I perused her face intently. "You have the eyes of one whom I knew long ago in another land," he: said at length, heaving a profound sigh, and seeming strangely moved. "By what name are you called?" "My same is Regina Percy," was the answer, "but they call me Gina for short." "The same wonderful eyes," he ■said abstractedly—"the very same. Will you oblige l an old man by removing your hat? I cannot see your hair." ' She hesitated a moment, then, after a glance at his face, which wore a particularly wistful expression, complied with his'request, The doctor started again, and uttered an exclamation of surprise as he laid his hand upon the small, exquisitely shaped head, covered, or rather crowned, with its shining coils of rich golden tresses, next to the large luminous! eyes, the girl's chief beauty. "It is the hair of the Marlianis," he said; "the glory of the women of their race. And yet," he added,, after a pause, while he refreshed himself with a pinch of- snuff, "it is not their exclusive possession. You will be a beautiful woman, some day, my child;" Then he took her hand, and plaa-, ed upon the middle finger a, ring which lie removed from the little finger of his own. : ' "Therei wear the trinket in remembrance of the old man who' wanted to touch your golden tresses, and who predicted that you would one day be a queenly beauty, and show it when you tell your adven-* turc." Gina would have declined the.'gift, but the doctor's manner 1 overawed her. He showed her to'the street door with a certain stateliness of manner which-- seemed to stir old memories or recall something . she havi seen in forgotten dreams., He; stood there until she had reached the sidewalk, when, as she turned to look at him again, he bowed gravely, and waved his ,hand in farewell, "v; Meanwhile the stranger, after., leaving Gina so abraptly at the window of he stationer's store,,pursuedhis way to the hospital again. After .\ wallcing ' past the building, and rettirning several times, as if in doubt or hesitation, entered, and asked to see the-resident physician. While he was yet speaking - the official personage in question appeared, and the attendant indicated him to the visitor. The latter introduced himself as one of the reportorial staff of the Evening Bulletin, and proceeded to inquire as to the condition of the two persons who had been rescued from the burning buil- j ding on Telegraph Hill. 1 'I understand," said the soi-dis-ant reporter, "that there is little hope that either of them caii survive the injuries received on that occasion ?" To be Continued. .