The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-03-27
THE SKY PIRATE e 5:.5.z ? ?: s5Sy!55
Copyrighted by the Frank A. Munsey Co.

: speaker whatever his location might be.
ms, as those who are familiar with
the early history of wireless teleRra uhy
| Know was at first the only way in
many years We're spent in fruftless ef-
| lorts to direct them TO definite places.
ana mus prevent them from being
piSheu up by Tom, Dick. and Harry al
az points OF the compass Fortunately
/ all that, even at the time Of which !
am writing, had been completely mas
teIed, although the original method was
sun OCCASIONALLY employed for special
purposes as IN the present case. 81
complete, indeed, was the solution o.
ne problem that wireless telegraph and
telephone messages had already become
d. exclusive as by the ancient tele-
1 Rraph SYSTEM Each subscriber, as at
the present day, had his syntonized in
slIument, duly numbered, which re-
sPonded only to limited set Of waves,
which might be Compared with fhe
Characteristic spectral lines OF a cberni-
cal substance. no confusion being pOs-
SlDle AZ need, any receiver can be
hroWn open 70 take "undirected''
and syntonized messages.
Accordingly, Mr.. Grammar, although
greatly surprised that any OF his con
hdential correspondents should summon
him thus, replied IN the me nEer indicat-
| ed:
Hello, What do YOU vant?r
! William Grayman2" eame the re-
Spouse. interrogativeIy reelected.
|
/ -Himself-ln person.
! Yes"
Very good. In the air"
| mis- last phrase may also need {
word Of explanation. IT is used to indi-
! cate that the interIOcutor is aAoat and
that he either does not know or does
/ not take the trouble TO designate his
/ position in the atmosphere by reference
10 some known point on the earJn-s
/ surface
| Who IS II 80 de,,,apde.5 NJ O.,
! captain Alfonso Payton.
] - W no. l don't know such a person.
! W no are you2 l can't bother"
/ ! am afraid, Mr. Grammar" inter
| rupted the voice, that YOU confne your
! CtIenuon little TOO exclusively 70 the
! nhanclal columns o the newspapers If
[ YOU don't recognize my name. Yet. L
/ might well figure IN them also: my
! transactions are frequently large
! enouSh-as you are going 10 ind out.
Most people know me as the Sky
| Pirate"
! What nonsense is this?" exclaimed
MI Grdyman, impauenuy How have
J you dared
NO nonsense at all. Mr.. Grayman.'
! the voice again interrupted. And as
/ Ior daring, listen I took your daug'
! ter Helen from your house last nighr.
and she, with her maid s Isan, is here
on my aero, the Chameleon
Grayman' - heart nearly stopped bee,
What, What is that" he exclaimed.
! i nave your daughter in my GUS
/ toGy, the voice responded with distinct
eiloeratlon- She is in no danger CI
any kind and Will be in none provided
that you accede promptly TO the terms
/ winch ] am going 10 give YOU. II YOU
co not YOU VIII never see her again"
There was a cold. self-cOnfident. con-
( NlAclng tone 10 the voice that sent 4
/ ShlVer through the biIliOnaire's nerves
/ he wiped the cold sweat from his br5.-
I Win one hand. while with the other he
/ c.uhS 10 the receiver and pressed IL to
/ ms ear The strange voice went or
( Tor he was incapable sOr the ;:lomer [
OF interruption or reply.
/ TT YOU meet my demand she I'll be
restored 70 you without puhlicit and
: without injury. You are the richest
! man IN The world they say. You best
{ know how YOU have acquired your
/ Tlches, but that Is no affair OF mine
! nave. however. pressing need OF a
part Of your piunder Ny terms are
What Internal trick are YOU trying
/ on me2' exclaimed Mr.. GIayman. losing
his temper. and AT the same time re
. covering his nerve and the Incredibly
natural 10 a man In such circumstances.
VINO are you, anyway III hear no
more Of this,
1T must be that some crank has
found out my number" said the billion
. aITe 70 himself. Il must see the com
. pany about this"
He was about 10 drop the receiver
when the voice began again,
. If YOU want 10 see your daughter
. again EIr. Grayuau. you'll not try 70
cut OF this conversation. II you still
I don't know me- ask any newspaper
man. or almost any man in the street
+ who Alfonso PayrOn is. ami what he
does when he makes "A Good capture and
. gets no response 10 a fair offer. I re-
peat that I have your daughter I took
her from the window OF her room with
nv aero last night. 7 viii release her
. for the sum that / have ramed II is a
. modest sum. too. and by no means a
fair price for Helen, who. besides being
YOUR heir. I ind a most charming girl
/ Ten million dollars will leave hardly 4
/ pcrcept BILE vacancy In your pocket but
that which will happen 10 your daughter
II YOU fail 20 pay will pickle your heart
I IN vitriOl- I know you nave heaTt-fOr
/ her"
Mr. Grayn'an's anger vanished again,
and a cold fear began 20 take its place
His incredulitV vanished also His
daughter was gone. and this might real
" be the explanation OF her dfsa 9pear-
ance. lie suddenly remembered 10 have
heard OF PaytOn and his evil dOinEs. he
recalled the name OF ne Chameleon al
so. He had once laughed heartily over
a story Of one Of his EXPECTS in escap-
say OF do. If only Commissioner Bra
man had be5n there,
The voice began again, and Mr.. Gray
man could but listen
Il beg YOU. for your Own and your
daughters sake. not 20 make the mis-
take o. thinking that this is a trick.
What 7 am telling YOU is the exact
truth. I hold the girl. anC 7 have all
the tT7IUps I'm my hand. Don't think
of the police They can't help YOU No
one ever succeeded in running me down.
and no one ever viii. Now give me
your answer. VIII vow deal With me for
the life and honor OF your daughter, or
will YOU not2 Yes, or no. IF yes, 7 will
tell YOU how 10 proceed: II no. 7 shall
lose no time in making Helen wish she
had had a father who iOve0 her.
The Continuation of This story VIII
he Found in Tomorrow
Issue OF The TImea,