PAOLINA, OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10164, 14 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 XXVll.—Continued, j i "BJess you, sir," said Mr Bavne, looking amazingly wise, "do you think it likely that having gone into this case to work it up, I'd overlook so plain a point as that? I know about where it is located, and I can find it. You see, when the building was going on, and the contractor sent in the bills, reportin' that so and so had been done, and that the buildings were in such and' such a condition, Grandin, who wanted something more reliable than a contractor's report, .used to have the buildings photographed and the picture sent down so that he could see himself how much work had been done, and what was finished and what wasn't. In the course of my scouting I came across a young man who used to sweep out Grandin's office. In that 'umble sphere of dooty the young man showed so much talent and efficiency that he got promoted, and on one occasion was sent up to the ranch with money to pay off the bills, and directions to have the house.and mill photographed. It's from that young man I got the picture besides a lot of other valuable items. I've no doubt, sir, the. young lady that disappeared so mysterious is the same that Mark Punderson alluded to that night as the one that was to be carried off and I haven't a doubt but that she's at this minnit a-sailin' up the San Joaquin River on the way to the house in that there picter; and | that house is on Grandin's ranch in i Tuolumne county, six or seven miles j back of the town of Sonera,' which 4s to be our headquarters. W> take the stage at Stockton for there. We shall-be in. Stockton 'to-night. At five o'clockjn the morning the stage stajptsj and at nine o'clock to-morrow night' we shall be in Sonora. I'm in hopes of .getting word from Hannah Hagburn how the land lies before it's necessary to start for the ranch. She will have to be watched particular close if she don't find a way of communicating with us." /While Hector recalled the scene on Sunday: morning between Grandin, Sloane, and himself; and when he thought of the superb coolness with •which Grandin had assumed the direction, as it were, of the measures to be taken for Paolina's rescue, and the. 'punishment of her abductors '; Jae felt that it would indeed be vain to go to the 1 police authorities. ■ If' anything effectual was to be done, it must be done, independently on the plan suggested by the Chicadee. They agreed to meet at a quarter before four, on hoard 6he Stockton boat, and Mr Barne took his leave with "a ceremonious bow. Shortly after Zip's departure Mrs Robbins knocked at Hector's door with two notes addressed to him, which, ,sho said, had just been delivered at the street door. On opening them he fouud that the first was from his "chief" at the county clerk's office. It was brief and formal, stating that . unless Mr North could make it convenient to return to his duties immediately, his resignation of his position would be acceptable. The .second was still briefer. It had ho date or address, and consisted of these six i words: "Hector, come to me at once." It was signed "Lydia Cranch." iCHAPTER XXVHI. hector becomes a capital-, ■ ist '.■; The door was opened to Hector by Mrs Craneh's maid, who told him that her mistress was too ill to come downstairs, and that she had orders to show him to that lady's bedroom. He found her sitting.up in bed, propped up with pillows. She looked much worn, and her manner indicated a high degree of nervous excitement. "Why did you not come sooner?" she said, impatiently, the instant the young man entered the i % oom; then, without,giving him.a chance to reply, she added: "What have;you been doing to find my unhappy child? Dp you propose to do anything? Or is it the fashion with.you modern lovers to sit down Avith folded, hands and mope and dream when the woman you profess to adore is kidnapped and carried off by ruffians? What steps have you taken? What steps do you propose to take?" Hector told her he had a theory as to who was the perpetrator of the outrage, and also a plan of action; that he expected to leave the city in a few hours to prosecute the search.

I "You have a theory." replied the old lady. "Yes, yes, I know your theory well enough. You think Miles Grandin is at the bottom of this. If he is, lie's a fool as well as a villain. I favoured his suit and would have won it for him if he could have had hut patience. I thought hini a suitable match for Paolira. Her beauty a<.cl talent, and noble blood constitute a fair set-off to his wealth and force ot character. There was no presumption in his aspiring to her hand. But if he lias done this I am his mortal enemy, and never will forgive him. It's a course and brutal piece of busi- . ncss; it's' not the act of a gentleman. But, after all, is Grandin the man who has done this?" Hector assured her that lie was possitivc that Grandin had done it; the circumstances all pointed to him. Who else, lie asked, had any motive for such a deed ? "Who else, do you ask?" retorted Mrs Cranch, speaking with great rapidity. "Why, her uncle, the guardian undei."her!father's will, Sidney Huntingdon, 'the most plausible, selfish, fascinating, cold-blooded monster that ever bore the shape of man. A spendthrift, a gambler, a rake, a duelist, who looks like a saint, and can talk like an angel. It was to keep her out of his clutches, and to aid in baffling his pursuit, that I induced the child to take my name. Little enough he cared about his charge until he got some wild idea into his head that she was heiress, through her mother, to a vast fortune in Italy. Then he bethought himself of his duty as guardian, and came posting oat to Canifomia to find his ward," and claim the custody of her. He had run right through his own fortune; and wanted to get,possession of hers. ! Fortunately I managed to evade him; for he would inevitably have fascinated Paolina as a snake does a bird. As a child she almost worshiped him, and to the last she defended him, and was incredulous as to his true character. He has recently come out'here again. As soon as I found out hj? was in the country I. sent Poalina away <-n a visit, and when he found me out, and came here, I defied him. ; I told him he *hculd not see her, if I could help it. She had just come of age,.under the ■ laws of the State, which is eighteen for 1 a woman, and hi? authority as her testamentary guardian was at an end : ; but I feared his ascendency over ih- : child if he should have an opportunity to exercise it. H« went away in a sub- ' dued, gentlemanly sort of fury, d£ ; daring" that \he would yet take her from,me. How do We. know that it is not he, instead of Grandin,. who has spirited her away?" ; "I think," said Hector, "Paolma : has showed me bis likeness; a handsome man, with regular elear-ent fea- > tures, and a refined but blase expros- ■ sion." 1 i "No doubt it is the same," returned Mrs Cranch; "but I assure yon ' he is a thoroughly bad gentleman. He ■ killed one of intimate iriencjh - in a duel growing out of a" gambling ■ affair, in which he' was accused, ol I cheating Hector,", she added, sth: • speaking in the same rapid, nervous - manner, "I always .liked you. Wc '• should have-been 1 the best of friends, if you had not made pretensions tc Paolina. That was absurd and unreasonable in a man of your position. You don't seem to have any ambition, But I have unbounded faith in your honour, and I know you love my poor child. I believe I can trust you. Bitt you will need money to prosecute your search. You have no means, and fit is about this I wished to see you. There, take this," and she handed him an envelope, "and don't hesitate to incur any expense you think necessary. Pour out money like water, if it will do any good. But mind, don't let Sloane know of this. And now go, and may Heaven speed you." Hector was about to make some reply, but she interrupted him with an impatience that was almose fierce. ' "Why do you stay another minute?" she cried. "Don't you see the condition I am in? Think of my poor and of what she must be suffering wherever she, is", while you stand here talking. Begone, I say! and let me never see your fac eagain unless you bring her back to me." . (Toße,C(mUn*scJ,.)