PAOLINA OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10174, 25 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 XXXVl.—Continued

'For,' says lie, 'an error in this matter may involve life and- death.' "

"And now," .said Paolina, "I shall eat what yon have brought mo. without fear, and with an excellent appetite, for I confess that I am hungry. Heaven only knows when I shall again 1)0 able to eat it) the house with the same sense of security; for it is not likely that you, will often be able to execute the same skilful manoeuvre you have achieved this morning."

Paolina shuddered "and felt a thrill of terror qiiivering through her frame.

Hannah proceeded: "Then I could hear him go out into the next room and shut the door behind him. In a few minutes the woman called him, and he came hack. They were hdth in the room for quite a time, but nothing more was said until just before they came out. Then he spoke again, and his words were: 'lt will suffice; she will not awaken before immi'- "

"But I have, thought of a .plan,"; said Hannah, "by which you can be protected from the danger you fear." . "Indeed?" said PapHna, puling at The queer- mixture of simplicity and shrewdness that appeared in the girl's countenance and air. "You seem to have air the resources of a prime minister. Who would ever have dreamed of your being so,crafty! But, come and sit down by me here, and tell me your plan, while .[ finish my breakfast." Hannah sat down as she was bid, and said: • "If I taste of every dish I bring you a while before you take, your meals, I shall be sure to find out in ease there is anything wiring with the victuals." Much.as Paohna was moved by this proof of devotion, there was some thing so simple and naive in the manner and language in which the proposition was made, that she could not repress a smile. "And do you propose to allow yourself to be poisoned in my stead?" she asked. < "I have no idea, ma'am," Hannah answered, "that there is any serious danger. I don't think.the stuff they give you is meant to be deadly; it is only;to make l you sleep;' to, confuse your mind like, so .that it may be the easier to deceive you, or compel you to do what may be desired of you." "You speak shrewdly, and to the point," *said Paolina, with a little shudder., "It is what I myself believe. The effect of what has tlius far been practised against me has been to confuse my mind, and make ine feel helpless and almost indifferent as to what becomes of'me. . I have at times doubted whether I was awake or asleep; and at others, while seeing and hearing all that is going on around me, I-have been unable: to stir or speak. The thought it is in the power of these wretches to reduce me to'such a state at their pleasure* fills me with unutterable horror.'/ Hannah reflected a moment, and then looked up as if she was about to speak, but seemed to hesitate. *" . "What is it?" said Paolina earnestly. "I see that you knowJ. something about this dreadful which you have not told me." '.'. . .7 "I was thinking," said Hannah, lowering her voice to a whisper, "might it not be chloroform or i something that you take without knowing it? If a handkerchief • wet with chloroform was to be put to your nostrils while you were asleep, or if it was poured on to your pillow, it would make you sleep sounder."

''Heaven protect me!' 1 exclaimed Paolina, in accents of genuine terror. "I know the man. Was there ever so dark and villainous a plot? But, Hannah, you spoke of me having wiser and more powerful friends than you—friends who were not far off; and you said that you were going to tell me something last night had I not been so drowsy. What was that?" Hannah then proceeded to narrate what the reader has already been told in the preceding chapters concerning the plot for Paolina's abduction as overheard by Zip, together with Punderson's connection with it, and the manner in which the narrator herself came to be at this moment an inmate of the house. "And so," said Paolina, "you came here on 2>urpose to befriend and aid me, and to pet with those who are working for my rescue? It gives me fresh hope and courage to know what yo\i have told me;" : "But I have nt told you all yet, not | the best. Your friends know that you are, here. Yesterday morning before you were up. they came to "the gate, i which was fastened. The great dog they call Thunder flew at the gate and made such a noise that the master went out and had some talk with them, #nd after a while they went away. But I'm sure madam, that they will come back, and that ihey will never rest until they get you out of .this place." "Could you recognise the" men?" asked Paolina. . , "I was up in my new room, and the window looks out towards the gate, but though any eyes are good, all I could see was that there were three men, two on horseback, and ; one who had got off his horse and was banging away at the gate as if he meant to break it down. I suppose ij;.' was only to make someone come to, them v So as I wanted to seeuf they were anyone: I knew—for I'd been expecting them ever since you came—l fan down into the hall where-T.had. seeh a spyglass, arid iflew Back to'.!, my, l room with it, and then I could see the ! three, men. as plain as I can see'you now, ma'am.", "And who were they?" asked Paolina eagerly, ■ ;l "Well, ma'am, one was my brother, 1 1 Seth> .V.. ■ ■'' H

"If he's anything like you, Han- ! nah, he must be a man to be relied on

in an emergency." vvj' ! "He's a true a man, ma'am, as ever lived, though his own sister says it; the troubles and wrongs he's suffered would have made most men hard and cruel. But Seth is as gentle as a woman, though he's as brave as,a liori<" "I can easily believe that he is all; you say. What else should your brother, be but true and brave ? But Avho were the;others?" "There was the young man I mentioned a while ago, who is trying to help the Italian doctor find the heiiv ess with an Italian name, which,.; I can't tliis minute recollect." i "And you said that it is becaus6 they imagined me to be-the heiress that they are endeavouring to rescue me. Well, it is true that my mother was an Italian, and of a noble family. Her name was Marliani.'' "That's it; Marliani is the "name of the heiress the doctor is searching for now;" cried Hannah; "I've not the least doubt, madam, that you 'are the true heiress, and then you'll be the richest woman in California." "I have no idea that I am'the person; .but I can't say I'm sorry for the mistake since it leads to an effort j for my rescue. If I am indeed the heirless they imagine, the man who 're- 7 stores me to, liberty will be welcome to my fortune." /To Bp, OonU*>^cd.)

"You are right," said Paolina,' with' sudden 'conviction. •■• i( H> , is something administered in that way. The morning after my arrival here I could He;tect a strange perfume in this room, and ever since I have been.haunted by it; But you have something more to tell; I see it in your face." "Yes, there is something else," the girl: said, in the same cautious tone ; '"and Tarn sure I ought to tell you. On the night you came here—or, rather, the morning, for it was after 12 o'clock—there came with the Frenchwoman and the others a queer-looking man, with a big head. I'm ma'-, am, he's a doctor. Well, he came upstairs with madame when she carried you "up in her arms, and they both came into this room. The room where I slept that night is next to this--L ttiey gave me another the next day—and the partition is very thin, so that I heard everything. I heard them come in, %nd the next'thing I heard a man's voice tlSat' was grac anclj angry, and it said: • 'Woman, you are inebriated again, and'.l cannot trust you to administer the potion'—those are the very words. Then she thing in a whining voice, as if she was .afraid of him, and he said.: 'I will await in the adjoining apartment until you havo placed her in bed. Then call me, and' I will myself do what remsiins.' Then she spoke again, and said thero was no use of him taking that trouble; but he cut her short, and told her to do as she was bid.