The Washington times., 1910-03-25

or New Olh, ana was uoNeu oH -
her father She was about eighteen
years Of age, and it was the common
report that several European counts and
dukes. and one prince, sought her hand
But It was also averred that she had
refused them ali
One UncOmmonly persistent count, the
gossips affirmed. had encountered three
pointbIank refusals, but was stiU hope
ful-of getting the billion. These ru-
mOrs. disseminated through the society
newspapers, made Miss Grayman popu-
lar with thousands who had never met
her. l recall that my interest in Miss
Grayman was first pleasantly awakened
by seein- her portrait in a Sunday
journal over the title Of An American
Girl Who is True 10 America
one evening late I'm June, 1896, Miss
Grayman had retired to her room on
the third story of her fathers splen-
did mansion in Fifth avnue. and was
about 10 begin her toilet for the night
with the aid Of her maid, Susan Jack
son, when a peculiar noise at one of
the windows facing Central Park at
tracteC their attention. Miss Grayman
had a favOrite cat. which sometimes
slgniGed its desire 20 enter her room
by tapping on the door. and she sup
posed that this cat had found its way
Our upon a ledge that ran across the
front Of the house just below her win
dOws. Accordingly, she directed susan
to open tie lattice. The girl threw the
window vide open, expecting, Ike her
mistress, 10 see the Cat leap IN.
But instead Of the cat man stepped
inside,
in. Llh %
was so great. ard the impOssibility or
getting up 20 the windows from the
avenue 50 evident that the intTudeTs
seemed TO have come, like the old wom-
on on her brOomstick, through the air.
Before the affriEhted girls could ut
ter the scream that was upon their
lips they were seized and gagged,
though with all possible gentleness, and
then were swiftly carried cut Of the
window and upon the deck Of an aero
which fOated against the wall OF the
house. The leader da-ted back into
the room, saying: "TH put out the
light
He was gone only a minute. As soon
as he emerged. leaving the room In
darkness, the aero Elided out over the
trees OF the park. The hour was not
very late, but, although the avenue and
the park in places We're brilliantly light
ed. no passerl.v seems to have noticed
the presence Of the aero. Neither old
the Suhdued mumur or It's machinery
while II swung close against the house
attract the attention either OF the in
mates OF Of the policeman on the beat
In truth, aeros had already become suf-
fcicutly ordinary sights 20 pass without
much remark. although few private ma
chimes had vet come into use. Stlli, the
act Of the kidnapeTS was one OF inCon-
ceivable daring and only the most Ia
VOrinC circumstances could have secured
their safety.
Neither of the men who had entered
/ the Z ek made Al
tempt at personal cOncealruent- In fact,
the leader Immediately impressed Miss
Graham with his remarkable handsome
and refined face. as well as his instlnc-
tive politeness and Eentlity.
In d few minutes the aero had risen
to a considerable elevation. revealing
The fiery lines Of the streets below, and
then II fitted out into the darkness over
the Hudson The handkerchiefs that
had been bound over the captives'
mouths were now removed, and they
, We're led injo a beautiful little cabin.
/ brilliantly Illuminated with colored cleo
tric lights, near the center Of the deck.
Both sank INTO chairs. and Captain
: PaytOn-for, OF course, u was he-tOok
( a seat opposite TO them. He smiled
] IN so friendly and reaSsuring a manner
/ that IL was impossible for Miss Gray
man 20 be afraid of him. Indeed. al
most before quitting the house her
mOmentary terror had strangely van
iShed. owing 10 "A singular fancy which
flashed into her mind. Perhaps IL was
UnCOnsCiously suggested by Payton's
smiling aspect and unCOnstrained gen
. tltmanly bearing. Anyhow, the affair
struck her IS some extraordinary kind
Of lark. and the idea Of a criminal at
tempt upon her liberty never entered
( her thoughts. She imagined that IL was
! huge practical joke DeTpetrated by
/ some Of her intimate friends and she
tried TO think who among them would
be most likely 70 venture upon such
I a p--TlDfr She had n confess ha mo
could not recall none sufficiently bold
/ 10 invent the plan, and yet the more
/ she turned the subject I'm her mind
1 the stronger became the conviction that
I she was the object OF rude attempt
/ at pleasantly.
/ This idea was not weakened by the
subsequent conduct Of the principal ac-
f tor. Now that she had a chance TO
/ regard him critically she was unable
I 10 recall his face, and for moment q
/ cold shiveU ran over her at the thought
1 that he might he an eUissdrN employed
/ by one Of he" impeTtinent foreign suit
I OTS- She was intensely rOmaLrc. but
I yet not Siddv enough 10 he unable 70
{ understand what her fathers immense
] wealth and her probable iointu-e meant
/ to these men. Her CaptOrs COurtl'
manners, and his foreign complexion
! and cast Of features probably added
/ force 70 this idea, and as II coUrsad
/ through her mind her Indignation he
/ gan 10 rise But the impression passed
/ way the Instant PaytOn spoke HIS
I voice, by the way. struck her as the
/ most suave and agreeable that she had
. ever listened to.
! 81 must beg a thousand parGons ful
/ carrying YOU off i'm this way, Miss Gray
man. he said, and ] wish al once tC
/ offer my absolute assurance that uC
] possible harm TO you is intended.
Z have been I'm a manner compelled q
act as 7 have done for reasons which
/ YOU will shortly understand Since
/ know your Charita bic disposition and
/ your sympathy With the unfortunate
/ ] feel sure that T can count upon yoSl
/ heartfelt support in an enterprise
/ which has been undertaken in order tC
/ afford a great and a fully deserved
/ qualification 20 certain persons who
/ have not been treated by the world
/ with even-handed justice. For the car
/ rying out of this enterprise your co.
/ operation and presence have beer
/ thought essential.
/ This extraordinary speech was deliv
| cred in a manner as confiding and
J gracious, and with a smile so winning
l that Miss Grayman was far from detect.
/ ing the irony that lurked in IL. On the
. contrary, size was touched by the pic,