, 1912-06-13
@s
KY
PIRATE
bI GARRETT p
~ SERVISS.
cOyYetoBT eS FRANK A.rnVNSer cOrpaNxj
PROLOGUE.

PROLOGUE.
The sea pirate has long been a
fascinating figure of romance,
but the march of progress has
driven him into we'll deserved re-
tirement, and he has now been
replaced. in fiction at least, bv
the sky pirate, who is even more
mysterious, more daring and more
romantic than his predecessor.
Read and there will unfold before
you the extraordinary story of
Captain Alfonso Payfon and his
airship, the Chameleon; of VIII
liam Grayman, the richest ma in
the world; of his beautiful aueh-
ter, for whose ransom $40, OOO,-
900 was demanded; of Lieufen-
ant Allen of the service,
of wonders by wireless and of
fierce battles above the clouds.
-
mad got SO near US les 4 dreadful pity
that the delightful plan could not DO car.
ried out. IL was 30 romantic, But really
| have enjoyed my part in II. and | shall
enjoy It more since l now know that the
whole affair had your approval. and
Susan are in good health and spirits. and
Commodore Brown Is so entertaining and
so attentive. and I am so glad that you
like MIN and that you think thar ne has
great ability / have never met a young
man with more elegant manners or more
Intelligent. and then he is an American.
and you know how 1 detest those foreign
dot hunters But ! must stop. for Mr.
Brown Is waiting for me / SEND all love
and rope TO see you soon Your affec-
tionate daughter. HELEN
P ST. him that Agnes Mitchell II i'm.
pertinent. but truly Mr.. Brown 10 very
interesting His father must nave been
a delightful person | like such devoted
natures One OF the Indians IL here.
H. G
Miss Grayman felt lonesome when
Payton a departed with the Chame.
leon. but she Thought of the pleasure
her letter would afford to her father.
She would nave died Of modification
and rage If she had known that her
messenger was hardly out of sight be
fore he s%killfully opened the envelope
and read the letter. smiling as he saw
how completely 1t answered his wishes.
Then he carefully reclosed and sealed
II.
Everything was playing into his
hands. To obtain this letter had beer
the object of his forgery. and he could
not himself have written II more to his
mind This was the master caro- thai
he had thought Of when he had Mr..
Grayman on the Chameleon. II he
could instill into the fathers mind the
thought that his daughter was begin
ming to be deeply interested In the sup
posed friend who had carried her Cd
he calculated that the fear and anxiety
thus awakened would make him will
ing to come to any terms for her i'm
mediate release.
From his spies in. Washington he
had learned all he needed to know
about the Mitchells. AS soon as Miss
Grayman's letter should be in her ia
theirs hands he would be ready for his
next stroke.
No pen can suggest the amazement
perplexity, anger and despair Of the
Millionaire when he received Helen's
retter bearing the postmark Charlotte.
N. c."
Payton had gone far out Of his way
to post the letter in d to give a
false idea of the direction in which his
mysterious lodge lay.
NJ nra-~op nod oil onn1danCa in
his daughter, but he knew her roman
tic nature. and now she was evidently
completely deceived.
He recalled what Payton had told
him about Helen's deception concern
ing his name and character. n Win
a sinking heart he remembered the rel
lows handsome face and fascinating
speech and bearing. The bare thought
Of his daughter taking an interest In
this unspeakable scOundrel drove MIN
wild.
But the next day came h climax
In opening his mail he found a letter
posted at Wheeling, W. Va, which
read thus:
Aero Yacht Chameleon. In the Air.
Mr.. William Grayman;
Dear Mr.. Grayman-Since parted from
you in Central park after our delightfui
ride together 1 ave made good progress
in the esteem OF your daughter Helen. IL
is a great qualification to me that. backed
by the powerful approval of her father.
md myself persona grata with the young
lady. and / know that ! shall grow rapid
ly In her favor Indeed. 1 am become SO
bold as to entertain hopes the fulfllment
OF which would give me q place IN inc
world and in society which l could never
otherwise have expected to occupy l am
aware that she has written to you. out
what she wrote Of course | do not know.
but | have good reason to believe that II
l did know l should have no cause TO feel
disappointed