Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-03-19
THE KIDNAPPED
MTLLIONAIRES
By FREDERICK U. ADAMS.


| his 3j summers. He had acquired no
gray hairs in the accumulation of
vast and varied fund of experience.
He was possessed of an easy conf
dence; was handsome without know
ing it, and had that grasp of every
detail 81 the newspaper business
which made him invaluable as an OK
ecutive. He had travelled in every
part of the globe; had interviewed
section hands on railroads and en-
perors in palaces; knew the Ian
guage of the slims and the graces
of a court; could report a murder
case or dictate a message for prcsi-
dent.
Mr.. Van Horne thoroughly under
stood the great reading public to
which his paper made a bid for sup
port. 1t wished TO be amused. The
Record amused il. 1t wished to be
thrilled. The Record thrilled it. 1t
hungered for sensations. The Rec
ord had "A never-ending supply of SEN
sations. 1t clamored for pictures.
The Record had them. 1t stood
ready to print instantly reproduc-
tions of photographs of past, pres
emf or future events.
Mr.. Walter b. Hcstor was friend
of Robert Van Horne. He was
Young man with fortune and a
hobby. His hobby was journalism.
His fortune was conservativelv esti-
mated at S30,00O,0OO. and he was in a
position to indulge in any fancy
which attracted him. The New York
Record under the Van Horne man.
agement dazzled him. Its method
of handling great news events APP
pcaled to Hestor. At one time he
contemplated founding a rival pa
per, and surprising. if possible. the
bcwildering strokes of enterprise
which were displayed in the pages
Of that paper. On reflection he de-
cidcd it meant too much work. He
realized that the management OF
great newspaper entailed an enor-
nous amount of detail. Though pos
sessed of much energy and persist
ence, Walter r. Hestor was intro
spective enough to realize that he
was not fitted for the task of SUI
pervising a metropolitan newspaper.
He therefore abandoned the idea.
He had no difficulty in forming a
close acquaintance with Robert Van
Horne. They We're fellow-members
of several clubs. and both were fitted
by wealth and education to move in
the same social circles. lleStor lost
no time in confding his ambitions to
Mr.. Van Horne. He wished to make
his mark in the world as n journalist.
Mr.. Van Horne readily perceived
that Hestor was a genius in his line
of thought and action. The ambi-
tious amateur would listen to no
proposition involving pay for his
services. All he asked was chance
to plan and execute those Journalists
tic commissions which gave play TO
his genius as an initiator and to his
skill as writer.
MIR. Van Horne was delighted to
accept the volunteer services of The
brilliant but giraffe Walter Il. Hes
tor. At the time this story begins,
Hestor was about 30 years old. He
was a member of a New York fam
lily which traced it's wealth and an
ccstry to the sixteenth century. His
fortune was an independent one:
and though his tastes were expcn-
siNe, he did not live mp to his income.
II would take a volume TO recount
the journalistic exploits of Walter
Il. Hestor. He built the splendid
steam yacht the SHARK" and en-
ployed it in his worldwide search for
sensational news. He took 200 pas
sengers from sinking liner. and
was decorated by four governments
for bravery In every war the
shark was in the foreground. It
was the Hcstor yacht that ran the
batteries at Havana and escaped
from the harbor with valuable news
and information. At every signal of
trouble fiestor and the SHARK"
were sure to be on hand long before
the representatives Of other papers
were aware that news was brewing.
AT his own expense he established
system of espionage on all the courts
of Europe. Ilestor was known in
every palace of royalty, and in few
years became recognized as the most
brilliant newspaper correspondent in
the world.
At the time this story opens Mr..
Hcstor had returned to New York
after cruise in Philippine waters.
He was interviewed by all the news
papers, and his portrait flashed
from hundreds of prints in all parts
of the, country. He was proud and
happy of his success. His mind was
ever alert for some scheme which
would emphasize his fame. He re-
garded his foreign triumphs as but
stepping stones to some great coup
which would immortalize his name.
Hcstor was disappointed when he
learned that Mr.. Van Horne had de-
parted recently on secret mission
to Europe. AT first he thought Of