Perth Amboy evening news., 1911-07-26
THE SKY
PIRATE
By GARRETT P. SERVISS
~
Copyright by Frank A. Munsey
Company

pointing S0uth-SouthweSt, his hand
raised above the level Of his eyes. l
looked, and we all looked, but could
see nothing. Still Ethan insisted:
Jest ag'in tibet cloud with q head on
1t. It's him as sure as preachin'."
In a few moments I had the object
located, a moving speck against the
cloud, and set out instantly in pursuit.
1 could recall well enough the rela-
tive situation and dimensions Of the
clouds to see that he had timed his
movements to mine. which he must
have foreseen with Napoleonic pene-
t~ration, so that his moments Of enter
ing and leaving the clouds and of
crossing the i~nterspaces would 80 fall
as to keep him always concealed from
us behind a curtain Of vapor. He must
have forecast with absolute assurance
our final dart backward, which simply
s%uperadded u speed to his in widen
ing the distance between us.
It was a bitter dose for me, but ]
swallowed It and fixed my mind with
redoubled resolution upon the rescue
Of Helen Grayman.
MT. Grantham noticed my chagrin
and kindly said:
mo matter, Allan. He's yours yet.
I cansed you to waste half an hour by
my useless suggestion. Now go anead,
and I promise to be guilty of no more
stupid interference"
cts not your fault at all, Mr.. Gran
tham,'' I replied warmly. II should
have done what I did if you had not
spoken"
The secretary gave me a pressure Of
the hand, and l felt greatly encour-
aged, for I knew l should have his
support however the thing turned out.
So l visited Jim and melted him to
renewed efforts.
"Get her up to a hundred and forty"
I said. "We've another and a last
chance"
"I1l do 1t or bust her." he grimly re.
piled.
We did go at an astonishing speed,
and 40 long time elasped before our
gain was 50 great that / told Ethan to
be ready.
CAtIiS tulS LILLE, L Salu. VIZ IL
not begin to fight until we are within
easy range, and 1 want you to pelt
him without mercy. Only" I added,
"aim for the aeroplanes and save the
hull. The Chameleon carries the rich
est girl In the world, and we've got
her father aboard here"
I'm not a-goin' to tech a hair O. her
head, leotenant," replied Ethan, with,
l thought, a knowing grin. I've been
to the show in my day, an I know all
about Romeo an his Jooliett."
I felt my face burn and turned
away. This practical minded Yankee
evidently had his romantic side, too,
and had penetrated a secret Of which
I did not dare to think myself.
I do not believe that the Chameleon
was now making more than a hundred
and t~hirty-fYe at the most, and in a
couple Of hours we had her almost
within range. AS we drew nearer
Payton evidently saw that the game
was up and that his only course was
to fight.
He ran up his black flag and dressed
his fier from stem to stern in the
same color, thus stamping her silhou-
cite with startling distinctness against
the rising clouds beyond and giving
her an aspect so fierce and menacing
that I saw some of my men regarding
her and one another with doubtful
looks and shrugs.
l called to Jim to pile on the speed
once more and to Ethan to follow the
range and announce it to me every
half minute.
Pour mile!" he presently sung out
three mile an a half
Before he called again a vast smoke
bellied cloud which had been piling Its
golden pagodas up into the sunshine
above seemed to make a sudden rush
all along IT'S front and at the same time
crinkled with lightning. In an aston
ishingly brief time its advance had
reached the Chameleon, while fanking
yapors ran out like q charge of cav
airy and began to envelop US.
The sweep of the storm was SC sud
den and swift that almost in a moment
the Chameleon vanished, and then the
Osprey was swallowed up with dark
ness, illuminated now and h e by
venomous lightning bolts.
The thunder growled and ratified all
about US, and the aero lunged and
pitched 10 dangerously that l advised
Mr.. Grayman and the secretary to
take refuge In the cabin. My men
managed the fier superbly, n IN a
few minutes the storm passed, and we
found ourselves In a valley Of cloud
land - blue sky overhead, thunder
clouds piled like vast rocks all around
and the earth beneath hidden with
dark nimbus.
Beyond the nearer clouds the vapor
peaks rose glittering in the sunshine
like snow clad mountains.
Then I caught sight Of the Chame-
leon, also inclosed In q cloud walled
valley, not more than a quarter OF a
mile off. Gigantic in the magnifying
mist, she was just pushing out of the
seud, her great aeroplanes looking as
funereal as mighty pals and her black
flag whipping in the wind.
She was broadside to, and Payton's
BYE had been as quick as mine. Hi
action was quicker.
n.