PAOLINA, OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10167, 17 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 XXX.—Continued. | "I suspect he has/' returned Zip. "In fact, he's asked me seme qiu'Stions now and ag'in tint: showod be had an idee of what" was g«:ii' on He's been very thick vi+ii F.tisdwson, and p'r'aps he's got &onv; niformashun out of him. Anyway. h-;'s got it somewhere." "Isn't it possible that, n.Mo.ui ->f being employed by Grand; i, he s a;-t----ing' on his own hook, n t!-e chai.ee o(' making something out o f ft.-" "It's possibb," returned Zip. ''.-uk! pretty much everything 3 possi'Je, but it don't seem to me : k t all likr.-y. He ain't a capitalist, Tripp ain't. He's most of the time hard up and he can't afford to work on spec. From all I heard that night Punderson's a-bossin' this job'for Grandm, and my idee, is that Pundersou's called in Tripp." " Hector asked his companion whether he knew anything about Grandin still being in town. "I'd gamble that he .is," returned Zip'"tho' I can't say I know it for certain of my' own personal knowlidge. I meant to have ."dropped round to his offis and took'an observation. But. I hadn't time. I don't believe though, that he'll quit town until there's been..time for this to blow over a little; he's to smart for that I think." "We shall know something about it in a minute,!' said Hector, catching sight of the gaunt form of I Eben ■,Taggart approaching through the throng of men and vehicles that crowded the wharf ,as the hour for the steamer's departure drew near. ' ' "I don't suppose, sir," said Mr Barne, gravely, "that after what passed between lis this morning you have gone and called in them detect.ivesf" . "'j :■■■.;■',. >..'• •'.'_' .'_'' .; ' 'Certainly not,'' replied' Hector, "I've merely employed Taggart to have Grandiri ' watched, so that he can't leave town' without the fact being instantly known." "I don ? t see no objection in that," said Mr Bame, in a mollified tone; "in fact, it ain't a bad move.'-' The ex-detective, who..seemed to have a singular faculty of seeing everything around him while his .eyes were apparently fixed upon the ground, wheeled sharply to the left as he came, abreast of the "gangplank and stepped on board. Hector was vainly trying to catch, his eye, and was beginning to fear that-he would pass without seeing him. -Heywas on the point of "hailing him as he executed' the manoeuvre just descr'bea, not understanding, the; mysterious gift o°f seeing people without looking at them. It was not until he was within a few feet of Hector that he raised his eyes and glanced carelessly round. He nodded 1 to Zip, and was about to pass his employer without recognition when the latter, perceiving 1 the motive of this reserve, accosted him. . "You needn't mind Mr Barne," ha said, "he understands the business, and we're acting together." "All; right/' respendsd Taggart. "Your man's in town./ I saw him itwenty minutes ago on 'Change. His boat's gone.though." Hector not seeming to understand his concluding statement about the boat, Taggart added: - i '• ''His yacht. Been layin' in sion Bay since last week.. Lqst all 'sight of her Tuesday! -her ■: regain ..Friday, ioot.of Harrisori-st., riew ." painted and rigged, looking ;;.like'> different Araft; Mayn't meair anything. Might: be- a disguise. Disappeared now altogether. Can't hear of her being seen since Saturday night." ! Zip looked as if he thought this did mean something, but if he thought so he didn't say it. The bell began to ring its warning for all but passengers to go ashore: * "Well, sir," said Taggart, 'who am I to notify if Graiidin leaves the 'city?" v 'Telegraph me at Sonera." Mr Barne shook his head in grave disapprobation. "It'll be much safer'to telegraph me," he said. "Grandin.and his people know you. They don't know 'me, unless it's as. Zip, the Chickadee. I'd suggest that the dispatch .is sent to Dan'l Barne at the Plaza "Hotel. That's where I expect to put up. Of course, we must give Grandiri an alias. Let's see . Suppose we call him McGinnis. If a telegraph comes, directed to Dan'l ' Barne, sayin' that Mr McGinnis nas j left the city, it won't be likely to cause any suspicion even in the mind of a subsidized telegraph operator." "Very well, let it l)e so," said Hec--3 tor. - "You'll remember the names?" Taggart nodded. _,.,»

"I'm to report nothing unless McGinnis quits the city?" "Report any movement on his part' that strikes yon as out of the common way," answered Hector, "and don't consider that your compensation is limited to the sum we, have agreed upon. You will find me liberal, if you give your best attention iii the matter. Would you like a further amount now?" "Our contract's made," said Taggart, "and I'm satisfied. Still I have no objection to ■ anticipate a part , of what's coming." Hector placed two eagles in his palm just-as a couple of the decli hands commenced pulling in. the gangplank, and with a nod the ex-detective sprang ashore, and was immediately lost to view in- the crowd that thronged the wharf. In a few moments the steamer had left her pier and was heading.northward towards San Pablo Bay. - As Zip, and Hector were on the stairs on # their way to the upper deck, they passed the man whose appearance on the wharf had seemed to astonish Tripp so much a short time before. He had a haggard look, and his manner was furtive and shrinking, as though he was desirous of avoiding observation. "It must be that Italian chap," said Mr Barne to himself; "but how Gina could call him a handsome man beats beats me." CHAPTER XXXI. LAWYER TRIPP SEES A CURIOUS ITEM. When Count Leandro awoke, hefound, on looking at his watch,, that it was one o'clock. Hastily putting on his coat and boots he found Ins way into the street, without having as yet determined what he would do. His head was racked by a terrible pain, and his mind was all horror and confusion. His first resolution was to go straight to his rooms ; but he had not walked a block in the direction of his lodgings before he began to waver in his purpose. Some powerful influence seemed to hold him back; . "I shall'be in a better condition to face this business," he said to himself, "after having some refreshment. Having 'deferred my return so long, an hour more or less will now make/fto difference," ■ '\ Seeking out an obscure restaurant, he ordered some lunch and a bottle of claret. By the time he had concluded his repast, he had formed a new plan of action. , ; When he had returned to his rooms fit the Antique Castle, after his meeting with Doctor Spiretti on the preceding night, no one belonging to the house had seen '\am{ and it might reasonably be presumed that his entrance was not known to any one but Viola nte. For two/days prior to that time he had not been there at all. Viola nte Had supposed him to be absent frpni the city. What more natural than that she should have told the landlady that such was the case? Why should it not be the best as wellas the least disagreeable course for, him * to take one of the numerous small steamers that ply between San Francisco and the various towns around the bay, and leave the city. What more natural day, and assuming, that he had been away at the time of the suicide? This idea suited so well with his morbid horror of revisiting the scene of last night's tragedy, that he shut his eyes resolutely against all the objections to it that suggested themselves, arid on leaving the restaurant he walked down toward the city front. *He strolled on Until ne cam© to the Stockton boat, and stepped on board ofher just.as the deck hands were pulfcng in the gangplank. Thus it was that the count chanced to take passage for Stockton. . ',. Hut trifling as the circumstances might seem that determined Count Leandro's choice,- life and death hung upon the issue. (To Be, Contintict.)