PAOLINA. OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10171, 22 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 XXXlll.—Continued

dresses were discountenanced by Mrs Cranch. 1 have, during this brief in-* terview, seen enough of you, sir, to feel that I can thoroughly endorse her judgment on this point, if- on no other. I join my authority to hers in forbidding you, in any way, or under any pretence, to approach my niece. Should you be found haunting this neighbourhood, or trespassing upon these premises after this warning, I shall give orders to have you, shot for a prowler presumably actuated by burglarious motives. Good-morning, Mr —a—East." '■ '

'/There was no other mode of attracting attention that I could perceive," he replied, recovering himself.

"If there are no other means ' furnished," said the other, "by which .visitors can mak.3 their approach, it •is because visitors are not expected here. lam altogether ,at a loss to guess what your errand may be with me."

"My name is North," returned Hector. "I am fronv San Francisco, and an intimate friend of Mrs Cranch, of that city, and,of her family; Her adoptect daughter, Miss Paolina, is, as I am informed, at present an inmate of yonder house-. It was for her that my visit was intended." ,;.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

'.•lf .the. person to whom, this speech was addressed, experienced .surprise, l ' or any other strong emotion while listening to it, he certainly* manifested none. His reply was; made without hesitation, and in the same tone as before. • . ■• ;■ ' ; ' " . :

"Your information is altogether er-i-oheousy There is no such person, .as you mention beneath, my roof." That, however, is quite irrevelant, since, if my niece were in fact under;my protection, I should feel obliged to decline the visit of ,a yoinig gentleman whom I have not the honour of knowing, and .who comes with no better credentials than his own introduction." > Here seemed to be the end of Hector's present enterprise. This, then, was the Sidney Huntingdon of Mrs Granch had spoken with such manifest antipathy and terror; * This was tile individual whom the old lady had described as '?tne most plausible, selfish, ;fascinating., cold-blooded, monster that eVer bore the shape of'a man ■—a, spendthrift, 1 a gambler, a rakfe,; a duejiistj" To Hector he' looked an extremely"firijshed-gentleman .of %© .old-sctiool. • liis fe'atur.e^-were;d|licat'e: and refined; but tlie lines of his moiith indicated- vigb'r and firmness of charae-. tei-. His". eyV'was keen iand' oold, with dn expression of insolence, ;liel3 '-\ in' check by,.;oreMing.' Altogether. the' *f4ce loOkeH iresh !&ncl young in con- < trast with the handsome, head of irongrey hair; and the white,; silky, heard. "You assure me, that Mrs Cranch, orfiMiss^Huntingdon,'is ndt in fonder Sjaid,Hectoiv , : 'f,.... ..'•/::. ..;'■■''•< . ' .said themother* • lifting his eyebrows,, and speaking •'with a pecuintonation that brought' the blood *irito"Hector's cheek and forehead. "I aminbt a'cciistomed to reiterate my Statements 1 , or to be interrogated con- | cerhihg them. Are you really propose ing to cross-examine me?" i ' 7

• • • 'l*cannot; stand upon v6ne*poirits\bf ceremony,',' returned' Hector, "rior &E, low myself to be silenced by the fear of giving when I jlast, night slaw a carriage containing Miss; Cranch drive through, the: gate.."'.. The young lady was ■ abduct<>d. from her home in San Francisco on Sunday morning; was' 'conveyed, up the, San Joaquin Rivety in Miles Grandin's yacht, "to, some point v near Stockton, : and theTttcebfought; to this place in a covered carriage;''(]■; ■■'.... - Z "Your statement's"quite ©ircumstan-' tial; arid given witli an • "air of unfeigned conviction/' returned.: ;jth£; cither,, in, a tone-of quiet you' be correct and ifVriry;. niece '(JidSactuliily arrive at my house :in'ithf mariner y and ai[ : the " uii-, jtimely hoiir yo*u mention, T sliall probably - be: informed of;''-tiHe: fact• before 1 breakfast, arid will enjoy- the, pleasure of meeting the young lady at . matutinalrepast. As the hour sacred ■ to the ceremony is at hand,". I shall have to beg you to excuse me, Mr a- ;-; West." : " '■ ,'v.;." •,.'.-._' ■■'.'...'•;■■■.■•.• ''■ Hector was too full,q£ rage and ber -wilderment. so. trust, himself to speak. ! He mounted his,horse, to ' Huntingdon;' simblv said.':'•." \i j ; ■'<,'"* / "Good morning, sir. : I think, we shall meet again." " '■'.■•. , ;;, ■ ■ *•' . trust not,i ; returned,'the : other. "You fail to iriterest me, .arid Ido not admire.yqur manners." -Hector had, turned his'horse's lieM toward the'road, when 'Huntingdon i; added; with a sudden-change of tone, 1 j and in a voice full of minister meaning: "You had better hear and heed one sinister caution, before you go. On your own statement you have been ! prowlingground my premises, and also seem to be disposed to meddle with the affairs of ray niece and ward; I think I now remember, having heard of you I as a suitor for hei« hand, whose ad-

',' A similar strain of' discouraging reflection had been passing through Hector's niihd;; but his; resolwtioh to save •Paoliha by fair, means or by fqui remained unshaken. .■ ~ > '■:■'■. , "Zip, my friend," he. said, wben.his diminutive ally,had concluded, his disquisition on; tlie legdl aspects of* the question. "I understand your scrupand I respect them. I would not, for, any consideration, lead you blindfold irito : difficulty. T am acting under motives which will prevent ine from being restrained by; any sort of fearjs or ..scruples. If necessary, I will take ijny chances of the; penitentiary or of hanging. But there is no good reason >vhy anyone else who; is riot interested in, the same way that I amy should juri any risks," , ' ' 1 ''■■' -;, always ■ noticecl, sir," returned' the Chickadee,.;i'that'the -law is a hard thing to buck; against; and I do not see how you are going to get thV lady out of abad fix by gittin' yourself into a wuSs one.' If it's her uncle, instead of Miles ! Grandin, that's at the bqttom of it, the whole situashun's changed."

TRIPP MAKES A DEMONSTRA- .' TION. '' _ Mi; Barne, who had not lost a word of the dialogue between Hector and 1 Sidney Huntingdon, seemed to be singularly affected by it. Hector had not certainly derived any encouragement from the interview, and for some minutes the three rode hack to Sonora in I ■ ' j' -, ■ ■ ■ . ■ silence. ' , | "A thoroughly had and dangerous | man; a man cold, shrewd,iand self- | indulgent; a voluptuary without efj feminacy; a man fond of ease andluxI ury, yet capable of bold and energetics 1 action; a man without conscience and without fear." Such was theunut'tered language in .which Hector mentally summed'up his impressions of .•the 5 - new enemy who had arisen between; himself and the object of his affections. ■' ■ ' ; '-'■ Meanwhile, Mr Barne rode by > his side deep in cogitatibii of a perplexed and by no ; mean's pleasant character, if *ohe might ;judge by the gloomy air 1 anil'frbivnirig brow. ■■ "Here, now," he said to Hector "is a hew actor come on the stage in the fifth act, arid he looks to me like .the biggest villain in the play. To be, frank with.you',;Mf North, it seems'to me that, this new the game :makes ;,tliihgs look ipretty black, for our>side., For my part, I'm ready to fight pretty -nigh, anything but "There's no law,;to justify kiclnapping,'^:retkmed,fiectpii•^'■.-',;' , , ; :,.;.■ "P'r'aps riot, sir," said Mr: Barrie reflectively, "but the law?s ;a, queer As -IVe ,heerd Cbuiisel(>r : Trippi say, ) /full., of exceptional' cases;, and p'r'aps tln\. may he one of thdk:y,Plain ' kiidnapping's" unlawful, :but when.; it's done, bjf: an.uncle and • gardeeii, it>niight be different; "If Miles Grandin carries off* a.,young ,; woriiah who's no; rela.tion to him, aiid : Shot's [her up in a house in the jsypods, I supi lieiv friends iUightreSoue- her by ' force, as they ■., would-'if she.had > , made captive by Injuns or robbers, but here turns lip a respectable! old gent, whb.cMims jsyherlawful.gardeen, and, nearest living relation. S'pose it turns out that this is his "plape ..,instead o'- Graridin's. Then if we go with a troop, arid break into his house, and carry off; his iniece,, don't we put ourselves in the position of burglars? 'And if there should he,,, any shooting- and anyone hurt, as isu't unlikely, ain't we in risk of hangin' or State' prison?" /, , ■■■'<''