PAOLINA OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10194, 22 March 1911, Page 2

PAOLINA OR THE MILLIONAIRE'S PLOT.

OUR SERIAL.

By MARIPOSA WEIR. Author of "Evadyne's Temptation," "A Chase Round the World, 11 etc

CHAP7TH XilJ'. —Continued

"But the providence that notes the fall of a spa row does not lose sight of the heiress of a noble family. A youth with a kind and generous heart, albeit to fame and fortune* unknown, happened to find the forlorn and hopeless child in the situation which I have so inadequately described. He was not largely, blessed with this world's goods —he had no home of his own; but he had friends with warm hearts, though of humble rank in life like himself. He conducted the little wanderer to their modest habitation, and for a season she found shelter and protection beneath their roof, and basked in comfort at their fireside. The youth of whom I speak is trying to repress the emotions awakened' by these affecting recollections in yonder corner. He has sagacity, tact, and talent sufficient with fair opportunities to elevate him to the highest station in the gift of a free people. I do not regard it as impossible that there are some within sound of my, voice who may yet live to see him President of the United States of America. I allude to, my friend, Daniel Barne, Esq., known in these circles by the name of 'Zip, the 'Chickadee.'" /

"as it is now quite late, and inasmuch as it cannot bo but pleasant for my friends and relatives so long separated to have such an apportunity of conversing of the past, and renewing old associations, that the suggestion you make is a most excellent one."

"Hannah, will you make enquiry into the condition of the larder, and also the capacity of the house with reference to furnishing sleeping apartments for our guests?" Hannah departed on her errand, and, returning in a few minutes, with a somewhat heightened colour, made her report. i

At this point Zip became. visioiy affected. The Marchese Ercole whispered some words in'his daughter's ear, Avhereuppn Regina rose, and, walking to the corner where the Chickadee was sitting, took him by the hand and led him to her father.

"This is my friend, Zip," she said, simply, "the best ana truest friend I ever had since I was taken from you." "May Heaven bless you, my son,*' said the marchese, with grave fervour, "for your kindness to my little girl. I shall never forget it; and I am sure that she never will.

The words thrilled through Zip's very heart. He tried to reply, but could find no words that seemed the right ones, and so he said nothing. The counselor proceeded:

"The friends to whom Mr Barne conducted the wanderer are also before the court. > To them, Miss Huntingdon, the niece of my noble client, is much indebted for assistance in defeating the vile plot against her.

"A word toucmng anotner person) who, has figured in this complicated se-j • ries of events may not be out of place. . nor wholly devoid of interest to my ' in'qblpi-client and his friend, the learned savant, Doctor Spiretti.' I allude to the person styling himself Count Leandro Marlianni; but whose true name i 'is—or; rather, was —LudbvicoGiorni. This last person, who came to ii violent and untimely- death last • night n while endeavouring, as the circumstantial '. evidence,would tend to establish, to perpetrate a criminal act, was in real- 1 ! ity the illegitimate brother of the nobleman whose name and title he as- < sumed after coming to America. Nat--1 urally shrewd, audacious and enter•i prising, he conceived the idea o| discovering the heiress of the Manutoli fortune and marrying her (having first got rid of his first wife), or else,-, in: case no heir of. Ercole or Paolina Marlianni existed, of undertaking to per-! senate his half-brother in Italy as he j had done id America. He may havej deemed this practical, because the j , true; Count Leandro Marlianni went' on an Eastern tour' some years ago, and embarked on a voyajge up the Nile 1 from which he never returned, and after which no authentic tidings of him were ever received.'*

At this point the speaker was interrupted by the entrance of Dade, | who came to announce that thi-ee persons had escaped from the house, and that as two of his men had been stationed at the rear entrance through the washhouse ,and these also had disappeared, he was afraid that the missing sentinels had been bribed. Upon a search being institute.!, it appeared that Guberlet, Grandin and Huntingdon were nowhere to be f.\i.nrl —also that'the men who had been put on guard at the rear of tho house v. «re. missing.

"Hector," said Paolina, "since my Uncle Sidney has taken such a hasty and unceremonious departure, Irarirg me to represent him and do the honors of his country seat, do you not J .hink our friends assem red. here under such slcgu'ar circumsfc-.ices could be jersuadow to remain a.'id partako <i n»y hnpitality to-night, ■ and meet mo at breakfast to-morrow?" "It appears to me," replied Hector,

"Francois says, madam—for, to my surprise I found him downstairs, looking for all the world as if he had never been out of the house*—that supper for the entire company will be ready in twenty minutes, and he promises to serve,-at ten.o'clock to-morrow morning, such a breakfast as has never been* heard of in Tuolumne County." (To be Concluded).