PAOLINA OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10163, 13 February 1911, Page 2

PAOLINA OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

OUR SERIAL.

' By MARIPOSA WEIR. Author of "Evadyne's Temptation," "A Chase Round the World," etc

CHAPTER XXVI. OUT OF THE WAY. "This is Satan's own luck!" muttered the Count, as he hurried down the street. 'To think that the old poisoner should recollect me so well, after these seven years in which we have not met! That which has to be done must be,done quickly." , At the corner of Sacramento and Stockton Streets stood the tall, gauntlooking building well known in *he "early days" as the "Antique Castle," then a lodging house of doubtful reputation. The count ascended the steps of tho "castle," and entering a room on the second floor was met by a young woman, apparently not more than nineteen, of slight, girlish figure. The pretty, sensitive face and large expressive eyes lighted up with pleasure 'as she welcomed him. But there was no responsive gladness in the swarthy countenance of the Italian. "Oh, Ludovico," she exclaimed, in a sweet, gentle voice, "how glad I am that you are come! I have been so lonesome; and I have seen, so little of you lately. It was not so once." "What would you have?" he replied almost sullenly. "A man cannot always be in transports. And how often have I repeat my command not to use that name ? Will you never be able to learn that I am Leandro Marliana, and no longer Ludovico Glorno?" "I will try to be more heedful in future," returned the girl, meekly. "But; because it was by that name that I "first knew and loved you,'it comes so I hard for me to call you by another." ''Bah!.'' exclaimed the count, . impatiently. "Will you never get over this nonsence, Violante?. Remember that we have been married now. for more than a year. Our honeymoon is past." "And do you love me no more, then ? Is all the romance of life gone forever? Alas! do not tell me that; it would kill me. Have you not a little love left, Ludov —Leandro mio, for your poor Violante?" "You weary me," returned the 1, count, brutally, as he repelled her proffered embrace. * "It is time that you slioiild retire." - She rose without a word, and passed like one in a dream into a .little dressing room, separated by a draped arch (without a door) from the one 1 in which they had been sitting. When Count Leandro had thought' out the problems that perplexed him i and was.ready to retire, he found Violante, to air appearance, sleeping' soundly. During the last few days he had undergone much fatigue of both mind and body, and in a few minutes after lying down he was himself lost j in unconsciousness. As soon as his deep and regular j breatning seemed to prove that he slept, Violante stealthily arose and lighted a lamp that stood on a small table by the bed. Holding the lamp in,one hand and shading it with the other, she stood for some minutes quife motionless, gazing,'upon the face of the sleeper. The thoughts that had vexed and troubled him .so sorely while waking must have given place to pleasant dreams, for he slumbered peacefully, with a smile playing about his slightly parted lips. " Taking the lamp witl; her she stepped softly into the dressing room, procured a sheet of notepaper from the portfolio, and wrote a few lines with a.pencil. Having folded the paper and placed it in an envelope, she directed it in a large plain hand, "To my dear husband, Count Leandro Marliana," murmuring softly to herself as she did' •so, "That at least will please him." Then she placed the.note on top of her husband's dressing-case, where she thought he could not fail to see it { immediately on rising in the morning. Then she crept stealthily but swiftly back into the room where her husband .lay, bent o\'er him,, kissed.his forehead, and lingered a few seconds, looking so wistfully into the beloved face. Even at that moment had he but murmured her name in his sleep, coupled ' with some endearing epithet; had he even so much as smiled when her lips touched his brow, -sue would have relinquished her purpose. But it was not so. Instead, he turned hastily away with an -exclamation of impatience, like one whose slumbers are disturbed by tho sting of an insect; ( and, with a last bitter pang of anguish, and one low, stifled moan, she

fled away to her self-appointed doom. Going to her husband's dressing case she took out a small vial containing a bluish powder. He had told her that this powder was one of the quickest and deadliest poisons. She took out into a spoon twice as much as she thought would suffice for her need, and without a pause she swallowed it. When tho act was accomplished she rested her elbows oil the dressingtable, with her head in her hands, and smiled and nodded to her reflection in the mirror, and murmured pityingly, "Farewell, poor little Viohmto, farewell!" Then she raised the window and looked out upon the calm night, and up at the solemn, starstrewn sky ; and she did not observe as she,did so that a breath of wind stole ill and stirred the curtains, and lifting tho note which she laid on the dressing case, carrying it fluttering to a corner of the room. She would scarcely observed it had the breeze been a hurricane, for already the swift poison was doing its deadly work. Already her brain seemed on'fire, .arid strange fierce thrills shot through her heart. Her thought were all confused. The room and all the things in it swam round and round, and wavered up and down before her eyes. Sight and senses were failing utterly. She stretched forth her hands to grape her way to the chair where she meant to compose herself with folded arms to await Death. But it was too late; he had come already, and sinking to the floor, she breathed out her young life in ope long sigh, without a straggle on a; groan. .

CHAPTER XXVII. ZIP'S PLAN OF CAMPAIGN. When Hector awoke on Monday morning the sun was already shining brightly into his room. He arose at once and commenced, dressing himself in haste, for he had many things to do bofore the hour of the departure of the Stockton boat in the afternoon. '- He was still thus engaged when there came a knock at his door, and Mr Dan'l Bame presented himself in response to Hector's summons to come in. He said that he had just dropped in for a minute to see if Hector was "all right and ready for the trip that afternoon." Mr Barne was arrayed from top to toe in what ho termed "new dry goods." He also wore a pair of fashionably made tyoots, with nearly, an inch of extra heel, and held in his right hand an elegant cane, with which he.s witched his boots in an absent manner, while ur.der his left"arm lit' jauntily carried a new and glossy silk hat.'-\ . ... <" Hector -having duly complimented his small ally upon his improved appearance, proceeded with his toilet while the latter gave him more at large than he had yet had an opportunity of doitig his ideas of what he called the plan of campaign,; and his rersons for "believing that Paoiina was at this ivery moment on her way to a ranch owned by Miles Grandin, and situated in a secluded part of Tuolumne County. He related what lie had overheard Punderson say in reference to the intended abduction on the night when Ivinge's house was. burned, and added a number of facts which he had since ascertained, bearing on the subject. Punderson didn't mention Grandin's name that night," said Zip, "and it is only since I got out of the hospital and took to workin' up the case as a business that I found that he was the man." "Have you any.: idea where this , ranch is?" asked Hector. Tuolumne is a large county." (To Be Continued.)