The Washington times., 1910-04-04

! hi'Au d SOOn as MS friend began L.
"Grantham,' said Grayman, i am in
Not that last bank''-began the Secre-
'No, no, it's a personal family mat
/ ter Ny daughter, Helen, has been
| carried off by the Sky Pirate. Alfonso
Payton, who has her concealed some
where, and demands $4,000. 900 ransom
Good God.' cried the Secretary. Are
| you In earnest -
Terribly in earnest, Grantban- and
I want you to help me"
But when did this occur? And what
can I dor
| 1T occurred some ten days ago. The
police tried 10 trap him, and made a
miserable fiasco. nearly getting me into
| the same box In fact, the fellow did
| carry me OF In his aero, but released
me on my promise &c Meet him again. =
| The Secretary started in amazement.
| And you put yourself In the hands
Of such rascal! could never have
Nevertheless I did. I'll tell you about
Mr. Grayman proceeded to relate. de-
| tail after detail, all that had happened.
| In conclusion he said: You have asked
! me what you can do You have al the
| Government aeros enga ged N the
| Revenue Service under your control and
I sunnose that they are the best in
| the world You have also an arr n of
trained men and the best detectives.
What can you not do TO run this fei-
low DOWN."
The Secretary reflected
Well. he said finally. II am sorry
Grayman. that you didn't tell me Of this
al the beginning Valuable time has
been lost. ] know about Alfonso Paw
ton, although the Government has had
no dealings with him. as IL did with
Morton, who made such havoc among
the transatlantic fiers. But I think
that I can help you, and, Of course, /
will
Luckily, there comes TO nv memory
a young man in our service who. I he
4 lieVe, IS just the person we need He
has proved himself extraordinarily ca
pable, has been reported for promotion
several times, and has only been held
back by absurd rules Of precedence,
made 10 favor mediOcrity. 7 think I'll
put him in charge Of this affair, and
give him the chance OF his life"
The reader must no. accuse M OF
immOdeSty when I tell him that il was
10 me, as the sequel will show, that Mr..
Grantham referred IN such datteriug
terms, although, al that time, 1 was
far from dreaming that I had q friend
and admirer in q high place was.
10 be sure, conscious OF having done nv
duty well. and I had been the means
Of introducing various improvements
in the service, but I knew 700 well the
red tape Of the department and the
jealousy OF my SupeTiCrs 10 waste any
time hoping for immediate recognition
only wanted a chance 10 dpyeI1u my
ideas on electric communication. and I
thought that, al twrnty-one. could
anord TO wait But, quite unsupported I
by IRE, the powers above were working
for my good.
I'm greatly obliged 20 YOU. Grant
nam, said Mr. GTayman, and 7 shall
De glad 10 leave the arrangement OF
the business IN your hands. But II I
shall be obliged 20 take a personal part
IN the work, as Of course 7 shall, /
depend upon you TO see TO my security
better than the police did
Absurd exclaimed the secretary
The Idea Of putting YOU into that fel-
low hands in than way No, Grammar
you need have no fear on that score Il
IS OF more importance mat YOU should
should be rescued
Not IN my eyes" returned Grayman. /
NO OF course not. But lave no mis-
giving she shall be rescued II IL takes
p. eIhlnent 10 DO IL At need I'll call upon
me Navy Department for aid. but I I
INN We can manage il better alone"
DO as YOU think best" said GRAY
man. but foI Gods sake, act quick" /
70 Will III think OF nothing else :
now, ten me, have you no information !
as 70 the location Of the pirates lair2''
Not the slightest. As ] told YOU, he I
communicated with me from in the air
NllCh. YOU know, may mean anywhere I
on the round world.
Exactly so. But his letter is most .
L .i.,ils,f. wheeling. ". Va, and your
daughters Charlotte. y c. and ne
promised that he would communicate F..
again"
Yes. and l don't knoU Al what mo- /
ilent ring on my bell here may come
from him. II makes ne i1rnp in mn, (
chalr every time I hear t.
VOW, uon he nervous, my dear fell /
low, sala the secretary. "Of course I
ne VIII nave 10 communicate again. and. i
/
young lieutenant lie will ind himself In J
a oox when he does Tn take The
W aShinEt1n special. which leaves In an /
TOUT ana send for my man 10 come al f.
once 10 my office II YOU hear from
Fayton communicate Immediately with I
me. Make him any kind Of promise /
only DO rot 20 70 meet him.
,,.b Fut MN on. and try 10 fix a day .
nm that that viii be final-and I reckon /.
mat II Will be Now keep up a good I
heart Grayman, and We'll get the girl I
ana save you ten million in the bargain /
Just depend upon me and nv yoUn-s /.
man" '9
II I could have overheard the CONVEX
Sauon no one in the world would have
been more astonished. ! had seen Mr..
Grantham two or three times when he /
sent for me TO explain some Inventions I
OF mine, and l had once spoken to him
ABOUT simple cODJrivance 1 had In /
mind Tor nndlnE an INDICATED origin l
IN ethereal telegrapny, but 1 did nor I
suppose that it had remained in his .
memory and. in truth. the thing U9s
so elementary and so unlikely to he of /
practical use that I soon dismissed il .
IN FAVOR OF more I,~omiSing leads. StiT F
/ had perfected il, as far as / could I
LOT my own amusement, and now the .
upon il 10i 11-'7
In the afternoon of the same dav on
Wnicn Mr.. Grayman had his interview .
win the Secretary Of the Treasury, the
expected telephone c., Came from Paw
ton. This time the oillionaire was
Primed and nerved for the interview.
As on the hrst occasion, PAXTON gave
MS address IN the Air. end required
undirected answers GU
My compliments T. you. Mr.. Grav-
letter?'' GU MY
Yes" said Grayman in far better hu-
NOR than he had answered his n1vete7.f |
Gus tnte-locutor the first time Il have /
received It, and it has duly impressed
Has it thought" replied Payton. I'm