The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1911-10-20

being possible. At need any receiver
can be thrown open to take undirected
and unsyntonized messages.
Accordingly Mr.. Grayman. although
greatly surprised that any OF his con-
fidential correspondents should sum
mon him thus. replied in the manner
Indicated:
Hello! What do you want?"
civilian Grayman?" came the re-
Spouse. interrogatively infected.
Eyes"
"Himself-in person.
eyes"
"very good In the air"
This last phrase may also need a
word Of explanation. 1t Is used to in.
dictate that the interlocutor is afloat
and that he either does not know or
does not take the trouble to designate
his position in the atmosphere by ref
erence to some known point on the
earth's surface.
"Who is it?" demanded Mr.. Gray.
man.
Captain Alfonso Payton."
"Who? / don't know such a person.
Who are you? l can't bother
81 am afraid, Mr.. Grayman," inter
rupted the voice. shat you confine
your attention a little too exclusively
to the financial columns Of the news
papers If you don't recognize my name
Yet ! might well figure in them also
Ny transactions are frequently large
enough. as you are going to find out
Most people know me as the sky pi
rate"
"What nonsense is this?" exclaimed
Mr.. Grayman impatiently. "How have
you dared
mo nonsense at all. Mr.. Grayman,"
the voice again interrupted. land as
for daring. listen. l took your daugh.
ter Helen from your house last night.
and she. with her maid Susan, are here
on my aero. the Chameleon"
Grayman's heart nearly stopped beat.
ing.
what? What is that?" he exclaimed.
81 have your daughter in my Gus.
tody," the voice responded with dis.
tinct deliberation. "She is in no dan.
ger Of any kind and will be in none
provided that you accede promptly to
the terms which I am going to give
you. II you do not you will never see
her again."
There was cold, self confident. con-
vincing tone to the voice that sent
shiver through the billionaire's nerves
He wiped the cold sweat from his
brow with one hand. while with the
other he chung to the receiver and
pressed it to his ear. The strange voice
wynt on, for he was incapable for the
moment Of interruption or reply:
IF you meet my demand she will
b, restored to you without publicity
and without injury. You are the rich.
est man in the world. they say. You
best know how you have acquired
your riches. but that is no affair of
mine. have, however, pressing need
Of part Of your plumber. My terms
are $1o,OoO,0o0!
What Internal trick are you trying
on meT exclaimed Mr.. Grayman, los
ing his temper and at the same time
recovering his nerve and the incre-
dulity natural to man in such circum-
stances. "Who are you anyway? I'll
hear no more of this!
"It must be that some crank has
found out my number" said the bill
lionaire to himself. II must see the
company about this"
He was about to drop the receiver
when the voice began again:
IF you want to see your daughter
again. Mr.. Grayman. you'll not try to
suit Off this conversation. If you still
don't know me ask any newspaper
man or almost any man in the street
who Alfonso Payton is and what he
does when he makes a good capture
and gets no response to a fair offer.
repeat that ] have your daughter.
took her from the window Of her
room with my aero last night. l will
release her for the sum that I have
named. Ten million dollars will leave
hardly perceptible vacancy in. your
pOShCt, but thdt VIII hdppCn "
your daughter IL you fail to pay will
pickle your heart in vitriol. ! know
you have a heart-for her."
Mr.. Grayman's anger vanished again,
and a cold fear began to take its
place. His incredulity vanished also.
His daughter was gone, and this
might really be the explanation of her
He suddenly remem-
bered to have heard Of Payton and
his evil doings. He recalled the name
Of the Chameleon also.
The voice began again, and ME-.
Grayman could but listen:
II beg you. for your own and your |
daughters sake, not to make the mis- |
take of thinking that this is q trick |
What / am telling you is the exact |
truth. hold the girl, and have all |
the trumps in 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 will. Now give |
me your answer. VIII you deal with
me for the life and honor of your
laughter or will you not? Yes or no.