PAOLINA OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10170, 21 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 XXXll—Contimicd

"It'll put them on their guard, ' said Zip, shaking his head dubiously, and make it all the harder for us if we have to try force and make a raid upon the place to rescue the lady." Hector, however, persisted in his purpose. He reasoned that the enemy had already taken all possible precautions and were probably too secure in their strength to be alarmed by his appearance on the scene. Besides, if he should be once perfectly certain of Paolina being on the premises, he felt as if his course would seem much clearer. That point being settled, nothing would remain but to proceed either by force, or a resort to legal means, to restore her to liberty.

"Bow could wo distinguish their conveyance from any other, even if we were to see it?" asked Hector.

"We couldn't do it, that I know of,*' returned Zip. "If we could we. might enlist a party and rescue the young woman before she gits here."

Descending from the ridge, they retraced their steps in silence toward the spot where they had loft their horses.

"It must be pretty nigli midnight," remarked Zip, as they reached the gate opening into the inclosure.

Hector made no reply, for ho was so deeply absorbed in revolving a plan of action that he' did not even hear what his companion said.

"Well, Mr Barne," lie said at last, "I am going to ride out there at once, and I should like to have you and Hagburn accompany me, as witnesses, if in no other capacity."

They had proceeded but a few paces further when.the Chickadee laid his hand upon his companion's arm, and stopped.

"If you're set on this move, sir," returned the Chickadee, "of course I will do my best to see you through it safe, though I can't see the good of it. I'll order the horses, and be round here with Seth in five minutes. He'll be a. comfortable man to have along if there is any risk of a row." - ,- - So saying he departed, and the time he had~mentioned had scarcely passed before he appeared, mounted, and" accompanied by Hagburn, before the hotel, leading a third horse for Hector.

"Don't you hear the sound of wheels over there?"

Hector listened anxiously for a moment, when the sound became too distinct to be mistaken.

It aproached rapidly, and the two had barely time to conceal themselves behind a clump of manzinita when a horseman came in sight, riding at an easy trot. Twenty feet behind him came a close carriage, and two more horsemen brought up the rear.

CHAPTER XXXIII

A canter of twenty-five minutes brought them to the point where the wagon had left the road on the preceding night. Striking into the trail, they rode on until they reached the gate of the inclosure. All the blinds of the front windows of the house were closed, and no human being was in sight. Hector dismounted, and shook the gate with all his strength, causing the padlock and iron fastenings to rattle violently.

A NEW ENEMY

In the driver of the carriage Hector recognised-the short; heavily built man whom he had seen on the night of Paolina's abduction.

"Let us stop tfee carriage,"- he said, drawing his revolver, and making a step toward the trail, /

, -"It won't do," responded the Chickadee, laying his, hand upon his companion's arm. "They're too many for lis, and besides, there's likely a dozen more within call."

A large hound that was dozing on the portico of'the house came flying out towards the gate, barking furiously, | furiously, but his persistent clamour ' seemed to pass unheeded by those j about the place. ] After waiting a few.minutes Hector renewed his attack upon the gate, thereupon the hound redoubled his fierce baying. "It looks.as if no one was going to pay any atention to us," said Zip,' "and in that case I don't see what we can do about it without laying ourselves liable to be shot for trespasers." But at this moment a'figure appeared oh the porch, and; after taking a very deliberate survey of the party through an opera glass, it descended to the lawn and advanced toward them. As this figure came nearer, Hector recognised it as that of the tall horseman, with the ample, snowwhite beard, who had riSden in advance of the carriage on the preceding night. He wore a broad-brimmed silk hat of a peculiar make, and an elegance both of material and style, that seemed singularly out of place in the midst of such wild surroundings. A long and heavy cashmere dressing-j gown,"of rich pattern, enveloped his'; form from the neck to the knees, being secured about the waist by a silk cord, adorned with tassels,' and his feet were encased in high-cut, patent leather-slippers. ■'■<■> When lie had approaelied •-. to a distance of six feet or-so'from the gate, he paused and subjectedthe three persons on the btlier side of it to a cool and embarrassing scrutiny, allowing' his gaze to rest more fixedly upon Hector, but merely glancing at Hagburn" and Zip. It was to Hector that he finally addressed himself. , "From the vigour .with which you have been shaking my gate," he said, "I infer that your business must have ; been extremely urgent. It seemed to I me that you were about to force an entrance." The voice was deep and rich, with a sonorous vibration in it. The tone and air qtf the man were those of a high-bred man of, the world. For an instant Hector felt disconcerted. I (To Be Continued.)

The next moment the party had swept by. One of them had dismounted, and thrusting his arm between the posts of the gate, unlocked it and 'swung it open. The carriage drove through, followed by the leading -horseman, a tall, imposing figure,-with a long, snow-white beard. The gate was fastened'again,"and the two men who had ridden in the rear, cantered off in the direction of a quartz mill ' which stoo3 beside a stream. : , :

"><■"."'The curtain's down and this;, act's "ended," said the Chickadee. "I suppose we've done all we can to-night, and we may as well ride back to town.' Hector made no reply, but climbing to the top of one of the huge blocks of quartz near the inclosure, he strain*ed his eyes in an eager gaze towards the house. The carriage had drawn up before the main entrance, and .spine lights could be seen moving about in the first and second stories. He no longer had any doubt that this was Grandin's place, and that the carriage that had just swept by bore Paolina to yoncler house, a helpless captive. At first the. impulse was strong upon him —wild as it seemed—to go to the house and confront the kidnappers, singlehanded, and demand the release of the however, convinced him of the folly and. uselessness of such a step. ']■': .Descending from his post of observation, he led the way in silence to the spot where they had left their horses, and mounting them, the two rode to Sonora. They parted at the livery stable near the City Hotel, with an agreement to meet at nine o'clock , in the morning. The clock over the bar commenced striking nine the, following morning as Zip entered the reading room of the City Hotel, where Hector was a- . waiting his arrival. "You look somehow," said Zip, "as if you was all ready for a start. Have you got any news?" "No," said Hector, "but I've been thinking matters over, and I am going put to Grandin's place to call on Miss Cranch." , Mr Barne seemed for a moment too much surprised at this announcement td speak. At length He said : "Well, that is an idee."' "Do you mean a good one?" asked Hector. "I mean a bold one," answered Zip. "Of course you don't suppose they'll let yon see her." "Perhaps not; but I shall see some one, and get an answer of some sortperhaps an admission that she is there."