PAOLINA. OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10145, 23 January 1911, Page 2

PAOLINA. OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

(OUR SERIAL.*-

By MARIPOSA WEIR, Author of -tvaoyne's Temptation," "A Chase Houn l tiie WorfiY etc.

CHAPTER IX.—Continued. "She talks with ettusion of the beauties,of California, the loveliness of the scenery, the salubrity of the climate, She describes the estate in a lovely valley never invaded by snows or bitter winds, where the orange and the fig flourish in the open air; where for half the year the sky is ever blue, and without a cloud; and where the only winter known is a season of refreshing rains. She' is childless and lonely. She urges Huntingdon to change'hisplans, and instead of stopping at Havana, to accompany her to California.

■tfould ibe mere second-hand testimony. You have only hearsay to declare upon. You do not know of your own knowledge a single one of the facts you have narrated. You have but the word of the Widow Cranch for the death, of the two Paolinas. The law should not regard your deposition as sufficient. We must have that of the Widow Cranch. Am I not right, most learned advocate?"

"The imagination of the invalid is inflamed with this picture of a climate soft and balmy as that of her native Italy. Her husband, too, is delighted at the thought of making studies of the sublime scenery of California from which he may paint some great picture that may crown his fame. They yield, and, instead of stopping at Cuba, they proceed to San Francisco. "What remains is soon told. 1 traced-the party to Panama. There I learned that they had embarked for San Francisco. Of myself I know no more. lam here in this, your great metropolis of beastly winds and indue" trious windmills. Fortunately I have encountered Signor Punderson, and to him' I have committed the charge of further researches. On my arrival I possessed no other clue than was furnished 'by the name of Paolina's husband, and that of the widow, liis relative, which is Cranch. ; "My efforts to «find them were of no avail, and I was beginning to lose heart, when I had the good fortune, to make the acquaintance of this gentleman, who at once took up .the .threaa^axicL.;%sfollowed it to, the end- He has discovered that the valley which contains the vineyards and orange groves of Signora Cranch- lies folded among the mountains of the Coast Range in the southern part of Santa Cruz County. He has made a pilgrimage .thither, and found the widow still living on her estate, or Her ranch, as you here call it. She disclosed to him the fate of the Huntingdons. The wife had succumbed to consumption, as it was already too far advanced when, she came to California to be arrested even by the balmy air of the lovely valley. ■ "And the child?" queried Counselor Tripp.

"Speak, signor," said the count, addressing Punderson, "and recount what yet remains." ' "It isn't much," said Punderson, "on the route overland to Santa' Cruz, from San Francisco, a fatal accident was caused by the jolting of the stage whicli contained the Cranch and Huntingdon party. An outside passenger was dashed off at a sudden turn in the road, between Watsonville and Santa Cruz, and his body was rent in pieces as /it rolled down the rocky declivity. This accident so terrified the girl r-iaolina, that, after her mother's death, when h father was about to return with her to San Francisco, on their way to New York, and thence home, she could not be persuaded to again try the terrible stage route over t-e mountains.

' 'At that time mere was no steamer running between. Santa Cruz and San Francisco, so they took a little coasting vessel that touched, there on her way up from San Diego. But when only a short distance from San Francisco, the vessel was overtaken by a terrible storm, and was driven ashore near Seal Rocks, just in sight of the Golden Gate. Every soul on board was' lost." "And there perished Paolina Huntingdon, only child of Paolina Marliani, leaving me, Leandro Marliani, the sole surviving person entitled to claim under the will." "Upon your statement," said the lawyer, "the case seems plain enough, but have, you the legal evidence of all the alleged facts?" "Of all," replied the Count, "up to the time of the sailing of Signora Cranch and the Huntingdons from Panama for San Francisco. Of the subsequent facts ascertained by Signor Punderson I as yet possess 110 proofs, but I propose soon to make a journey myself to the estate of Signora Cranch, and procure her deposition in due and authentic form." j Punderson started and. flushed at these words. , "That will scarcely be necessary," he said; "I can depose to the facts myself." "Ha!" exclaimed the count, smiling, and exhibiting his white teeth, "see how learned a lawyer I have become in attending to my own case. Your deposition,, Signor Punderson,

During this speech Punderson had been endeavouring to catcli Tripp's eye. Failing in that he kicked the counselor's shins under the table, and winked at him significantly as he looked up. This manoeuvre did not escape the keen glance of the vigilant Italian. "Well, count," returned Tripp, after a moment's hesitation, ''l think Mr. Punderson's depositions might be accepted as secondary evidence in the absence of anything better." "Yes, in case the Signora Cranch were dead, for instance. ' But she being living " "Well, yes," said Tripp, in'some confusion, "it might be best, after all', to cake her deposition." "The counselor and I," said Punderson, "can take a run down there together and attend to it as soon as the roads get a- little better. . At present they .must, be terrible after the storm." ! "You think it will not be necessary for me to accompany you?" the count said, looking at his boots, and repressing an odd smile that just showed itself for a second as it flitted across his countenance. "Certainly, not, unless, you prefer it," answered Puuderson, "and' at this season it is <a trip that is far from being either agreeable or free from danger.;" "Ah, you are truly obliging, signor. We will arrange it then , as soon ,as you think"the season is 'fit. for travel." The counselor th6n looked at his watch, and pleaded an engagement. An appointment for. another interview on the day after the next was then made, and the count took his leave accompanied by Punderson. .The two walked together as far as the nearest corner, where they parted, after which Punderson made the best of his way back to the counselor's office. ; The count paused a moment ;at the corner, and looked after Punderson in a manner which that person would scarcely have liked had he been aware of it. "Aha, 4 Signor Punderson!" muttered the Italian between his white teerth ,a'nd with a gesture of . menace, ' Idid perceive the little pantomime between yourself and the lawyer., I shall observe you closely, signor, and if" .there is any treachery to be practised on me, you will find I can be dangerous." •

"Paolina, I assure you that I am in earnest; why can't you talk seri-, ously?" ; , ; "And you, Master Hector, I assure you that I am in earnest, and I say it quite seriously when I tell you that you are not precisely the ideal 1" have of what a lover ought to be. You seem to have assumed the contrary, however, as a matter of course —I don't remember, sir, ever having accepted you. Indeed, if you ever pi-oposed, the circumstance has certainly escaped my memory, which I admit is not tenacious of trifles. But enough of this. I come back to what I said in the first place; I am positively afraid of that man, and have valiantly resolved to run away.' To De Continued.

CHAPTER X. PAOLINA RESOLVES TO RUN : AWAY. "I'm afraid you are getting nervous, Lina." "My nerves, I believe, are quite as firm as yours, sir, but I acknowledge that Tam afraid of that man:" "Why, Lina, what can lie do? If you were living in the backwoods, or some remote mining camp, there might be some danger, Your romantic villain lias no scop©' for 1 his t genius in this big city. Besides, tile fellow threatens and blusters too much to be dangerous. Has he been here again?: ' • . . "Ho called again yesterday, and I denied myself to him; but he insisted on seeing me, as I told you." "This is outrageous. I tell you, - Lina, there's only ono remedy for this state of things. We must be married at once." Paolina smiled at this remark. "If I were convinced that matrimony is the only refuge from Grandin 7 s persecution, you are by no means the style of husband I should choose." '