Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1911-09-29

statement
Mr.. Grayman rode to his Office and
Immediately summoned Police Com
missioner Braman by telephone. That
official did not think it beneath his
dignity instantly to answer a call to
the office of William Grayman. a call
that came from the Millionaire himself.
When the commissioner arrived
Grayman took him into his innermost
sanctum and Immediately astonished
him beyond measure.
commissioner" he said, my daugh-
ter disappeared last night from my
house. and want you to find out what
has become Of her."
The commissioner caught his breath.
"Your daughter! Disappeared~ hs
gasped.
"Stop a momentw said Grayman.
understand that this is q profound
secret and must remain so. will
make 1t worth your while to shut the
mouth Of every detective that you EN-
ploy. No questions must be asked OF
the servants that could possibly lead
them to suspect that an inquiry is or
foot. They think that my daughter
has gone away on a visit. You car
draw on me for any amount at any
time until the girl Is found. Now,
listen"
And Grayman proceeded to tell the
story of the morning. When he had
finished he asked in his blunt. auto
cratic way:
"Now. tell me what you will do
What is your plan?"
The commissioner begged for little
time to think 1t over.
II can have no plan yet" he said
"but Ill find one. With your permits
| sion I'll send a confidential man &c
your house and get basis for furthel
action"
Every WELL" said Grayman: "let it be
done. But remember my restriction
Not a word must escape anywhere
not a single word or hint"
The chief promised the most abso
lutte secrecy and. with great perturba
| ton of mind, returned in all haste tC
headquarters.
When Mr. Grayman was left alone
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. 1t unnamed
him. He refused all callers, pretend
| ing to be too busy to see any one. II
| 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 finance-se
crets that could be intrusted only to
soundless ether. He put the receiver
to his ear.
"Hellow came a voice that he did
not recognize. REPLY undirected."
This meant that Grayman should re
spond with a ''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 ai
all points of the compass. Fortunately
all that. even Mt the time of which
am writing. had been completely mas
tered, although the original method
was still occasionally employed fol
special purposes, as In the present
case. So complete. indeed. was the
solution Of the problem that wireless
telegraph and telephone messages hat
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 a limited sci
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 Mr.. Grayman. although
greatly surprised that any Of his con
fidential correspondents should sum
mon him thus. replied in the manner
Indicates:
Hello! What do you want7'
civilian Graymanw came the re
spouse. interrogatively infected.
YES"
"Himself-in person."
"Yes."
Every good. In the air."
This last phrase may also need {
word of explanation. 1t is used to in
dictate that the interlocutor Is afloa
and that he either does not know OF
does not take the trouble TO designate
his position in the atmosphere by ref
erence to some known point on thu
earth's surface.
"Who is itY' demanded Mr.. Gray
man.
Captain Alfonso Payton."
"Who? I don't know such a person
Who are you? I can't bother
Il am afraid. Mr.. Grayman," inter
rupted the voice, shat you confin'
your attention little too exclusivel!
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 larg'
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 hav'
you dared