Picture-Play Magazine (Oct-Nov 1915)

Via Wireless (PATHE) By Edwin Balmer SYNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS. George Durant, the great gunmaker, known as "The American Krupp," is touring the Philippines in his yacht trwssa, partly for pleasure and partly to advise in the matter of island defenses. With him are his daughter Frances and his righthand man. Etherington Pinckney, who is teaching Frances to use the yacht's "wireless." One morning Pinckney forbids Frances to use the apparatus. He also warns her against Lieutenant Sommers, who is trying to send the yacht a wireless message, telling her that Sommers is a scoundrel. As a joke, Frances talks with Sommers by wireless, but won't tell him where the Trvessa is. The next day she goes into the wireless room and again hears some one calling. CHAPTER II.— Continued. IT is the same as yesterday!" Frances *■ recognized it immediately. She held the receivers to her ears, the better to make out the firm sending, which had ;h rilled her so strangely the day before. "It's Lieutenant Sommers, of the San Juan!" she exclaimed to herself. Her hand shot to the key to acknowledge the call. "Ash — ash — cr-a-a-sh !" The coils behind her crackled and sent back the call. "Yacht Irvessa, Mr. Durant, acknowledges call cruiser San Juan." She colored furiously as she recollected that the other operator had not yet identified himself. As surely as she could know his sending, she knew he must now recognize hers, too. "Irvessa !" The answer flashed back impersonally. "Instruction.-, received via Mongolian extend courtesies to Mr. Durant in case visiting southern island, and escort if wished. During communication yesterday suddenly lost you. Did accident occur?" "No accident," the girl spelled back quickly. "Merely prevented from using wireless. What did you think might have happened," "Hoped merely wireless went wrong, but several straits and passages between islands poorly charted. Feared possible trouble. You are apparently much nearer our station about Bagol than yesterday. As seas about here recently unsafe, from earthquake disturbance, please inform Mr. Durant appreciate privilege escorting him about these (A Serial Story— Part Two) islands. Will you send present position ?" "Thank you. We are " In her eager absorption Frances began sending her acknowledgment ; but, suddenly recollecting the warning which Etherington had given her the night before, she took her hand from the key. Somehow the warning had not rung true to her, and she had refused to believe it. She had been amused to fancy, from those steady little taps which came to her, that the man was — well, different. But here he was, now, offering his escort and trying to arrange a meeting, just as Pinckney had prophesied. "We are not navigating at all now," she resumed coolly. "We do not need you. We are anchored in a bay, and will not trouble you further." She arose, intending to leave the cabin. But as the instruments began to speak again, she returned and listened curiously. " Where is Irvessa anchored ?" the operator was demanding. "What bay? Please send position at once. Imperative !" The tapping, which had now become quicker and more insistent, added the last word after waiting a moment and receiving no answer. Again it waited : and while the girl still sat uncertain, it demanded : "Irvessa operator, are you there?" "I am here !" Frances could not resist sending the acknowledgment. "I beg pardon. Miss Durant. Of course have recognized your sending same as yesterday. Will you please call your regular operator?" "Why do you want another — Lieutenant Sommers?" The girl flashed back her recognition of him boldly and suspiciously, as she hoped he would feel it. "Wish to talk to a man — that is all," was the answer. "So please call regular operator and whoever is in charge yacht. "Have no regular operator," returned the girl. "Does no one else on board operate but you?" was the query. "Then call man in charge yacht." "Mr. Pinckney only other operat He also in charge yacht." "Call him, then, at once!" "He has gone ashore." "Gone ashore — upon Bagol?" The girl refrained from answering. "Miss Durant. tell me — at once!" Tl tapping continued with scarcely a brea "Are you anchored in a bay off Bag< I How many have landed ? Why ? F< I what point? For your safety ail safety of those ashore, send me this I once, with your position !" > But the girl, as she took down the l demands, only sat back, flushed an* trembling. Again and again she put her bar I to the key, but as often drew it awa:| Finally she arose restlessly, and lookel out of the window at the land. There everything was reassuringl quiet and peaceful. The sun stood r little higher in the blue, unbroken sky M and the white sands of the beach glis : tened a little brighter than before. Tlr shadows of the tall trees nearer tin water had shortened, and the sailor smoking beside the boat, had mover back with them. And on the Irvessa'. forward deck, where the crew wer& gathered, waiting, the men were ai smoking and chaffing, or playing cards Confirmed by this peaceful quiet in her determination to balk this far-away, strange man who had tried to command her, Frances came back to the instruments. "Operator !" the insistent demand rang out. "If yacht not about Bagol, and you wish to ignore and avoid us, I will give no further annoyance ; but if you are now anchored off Bagol. and some of your party landed there, my duty demands me require your answer and this ship find }'ou!" "Precisely what Etherington said he would do," the girl murmured to her-j self, smiling at this imperative officer's helplessness, as she drummed meaninglessly upon her key. "Operator!" The command came ton her again as soon as she stopped. I "Warn you at your peril, and, for safety