The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-07-18

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 Every we'll" said Grayman; '1et it be | done. But remember my restriction. Not word must escape anywhere not single word or hint" The chief promised the most abso- lute secrecy and. with great perturba- tion of mind. returned in all haste to headquarters.
 his self command relaxed. His daugh- ter was dearer to him than his for tune. He could not drive the agoniz- ing thought of her strange disappear ance from his mind. It unnamed him. He refused all callers, pretend ing to be too busy to see any one. 1t was the most uncomfortable morning he had ever spent.
 Toward noon the wireless telephone bell in his sanctum rang sharply. Only his exclusive intimates ever called him up here. The apparatus was reserv- ed for the secrets of high f1nance-se- crets that could be intrusted only to soundless ether. He put the receiver to his ear.
 "Hellor came a voice that he did not recognize. Reply undirected."
 This meant that Grayman should re- spond with "hello" sent out by un- directed waves. radiating on all sides, so that they would reach the original speaker whatever his location might be. This, as those who are familiar with the early history of wireless teleg- raphy know, was at first the only way in which messages could be sent. and many years were spent in fruitless ef- forts to direct them to definite places and thus prevent them from being picked up by Tom, Dick or Harry at all points of the compass. Fortunately all that, even at the time of which am writing, had been completely mas tered, although the original method was still occasionally employed for special purposes, as in the present case So complete, indeed, was the solution of the problem that wireless telegraph and telephone messages had already become as exclusive as by the ancient telegraph system. Each sub- scriber, as at the present day, had his syntonized instrument, duly numbered, which responded only to limited set of waves, which might be compared with the characteristic spectral lines of a chemical substance, no confusion being possible. At need any receiver can be thrown open to take undirected and unsyntonized messages.
 Accordingly MT. 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?'
 William Grayman?' came the re- sponse, interrogatively infected.
 .sYes.''
 "Himself-in person?"
 "Yes.''
 "very good. Tn the air"
 This last phrase may also need word of explanation. It is used to in- dicate 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 if?'a demanded MT. Gray man.
 Captain Alfonso Payton."
 |"Who? don't know such person. Who are you? I can't bother
 "I am afraid, MT. Grayman." inter rupted the voice, 'that you confine your attention 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. My 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 MT. Grayman impatiently. Flow have you dared"-
 ''No nonsense at all. MT. Grayman." the voice again interrupted. "and as for daring. listen. 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?" heexclaimed
 "I have your daughter in my GUS tody," the voice responded with dis. l tinct deliberation. "She is in no dan. ger of any kind and will be in none provided thet you accede promptly to the terms which I am going to give | you. If you do not you will never see her again"
 There was cold, self confident, con. vincing tone to the/voice that sent a shiver through the bi1lionaire's nerves He wiped the cold sweat from his brow with one hand, while with the | other he clung to the receiver and pressed it to his ear. The strange voice went on, for he was incapable for the moment of interruption or reply:
 "If you meet my demand she will | be 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. 1 have, however, pressing need of part of your plunder. My terms are $10.O0O.oOOv'
 "What internal trick are you trying | on me" exclaimed MT. Grayman, los ing his temper and at the same time