The evening world. Newspaper, December 18, 1915, Page 11

» an angry crimson. there. in every generation criminal. of He: ea comer eis fed 5, Shere ad te Will Ge printed on I'm not @ detective. chest at fifttecn dollars a thump. Lamar e detective potlceman. In this office eat Lamar, one spring morning, trying to coax a sulky cigar into good bebevior and, between puffs, dictating a letter to Edith Hayes, bis stenographer. Tt was a lazy morning, and Lamar's wonted steel-trap activity had taken on @ trace of indolence tn keeping with the weather and the unexacting day that seemed to le ahead of him. ‘The home team was playing at the ball grounds to-day, and he planned to take the afternoon off to witness his first game of the season. “Therefore,” he went on with his dictation, "I will take up the matter with you to-morrow, if you can call at my office at 11.80 A. M. I regret (hat @ pressing buainoss engagement for this afternoon will prevent” — A clerk hurried in from the ante- room, laid a special delivery letter on his chief's desk and vanished again into his own domain, At sight of the envelope’s handwriting some of the unusual laziness left Lamar’s face and manrier, At a glance down the single oficial sheet of paper as he ripped It from the envelope the very last trace of indolence was gone. “Miss Hayes,” he said, “the ball game to-day will lack its most ardent fan, And never mind finishing that letter. I'll have to get out of hero in"—looking at his watch just twenty minutes. I've got to go to prison,” A Call for Help. “Mr. Lamar!" stammnered the girl, still too new in her employer's se vice to know when be Was in earncat, “It's true," he answered, “Listen to this.” He picked up the note and read aboud: “Mr Max Lamar, Crime Specialist. “My Dear Max: ‘Circle’ Jim B 09s free again at noon to-day you entered private practice I ho one familiar with the meth thia master crook, Please ke eye on him, RANDOLVH ALLE “Chief of Police "I—1 don't understanc said the stenographer, “If you're in business for yourself, why should the Chief of Police be giving you orders? “Ho isn't, He's giving me @ chance, A chance he knows I'd be willing to pay for with a couple of my eye teeth ‘That's why he wrote to mo. Old *Qircie’ Jim is my quarry. I've landed him three times for the Chief, and it looks es if I were going to make It @ foursome, Jim can't keep out of Jail, Because he can't keop out of crime, And he can't keep cut of crime because of the Red Ctrele.” “The Red Circle,” she echor A circle of Anarchists? “No, @ circle of Jim Borden's, A cirele on the back of his right hand, A circle he gets his nickname from. A red birthmark, like a hoop or ring, jn ithe flesh of the hand, Sometimes It hardly shows. Sometimes it blazes “But what has a birthmark got to do with his being a criminal?” asked the puzzled girl, “I don't see"-—— either do L But it's true. T’ve heard some aort of a riginarole about thig birthmark running through his family ever so far back, and that whenever it appears it's a sign of a criminal. All_nonsense, perhaps, | don't know. But I do know that old ‘Cirele’ Jim Borden ts one of the craftiest, moet inveterate criminals in this State, And if he's out of prison it means trouble to the whole community, The Chief didn't over- play when he called Jim a ‘master ergok,’ Finish up those letters and then take the rest of the day, Tho weather’e too fine to work In, T won't be back. I'm going to be on hand when ‘Circle’ Jim is turned loose, and I may follow him after. ward, to get a line on him and find where he's going to live, Thera was & yarn at headquarters that the old fox has a hiding place somewhere in town that no outsider was ever able to find. It may be worth hunting for, He has a son, too, knocking around the city, A cheap tough, of the cig- arette-eating type, I suppose he's arranaed to meet him. He'll bear watching, too, now that his old man's * out’ ‘He sitpped a revolver from the desk drawer into his pocket, unno- tloed by the stenographer, and left the office on his miaston, oe e © © © #& Lamar was not the prisos % voluntary guest that noon, The grim old archway leading to hopeless- negs was graced by the presence of ‘ women who were frequent and sreloome visitors to the place—June vee oe sweet-faced mother, Was @ girl of rare beauty, both \ “The Red Circle,” repeated Borden dully. “Tt is still there, on my hand, always And it has marked one member person marked by it has always been a The ‘Decoration of the Curse ven,’ I have heard it called!" : : of my family. The (Copyright, 1919, by Albert Payson ‘Tethune,) ‘The Brenig World publishes exch Saturday « full ‘next Getunday (Christmas Dar) and New Year's, CHAPTER 1. Nevermore! ‘ 'P you feel « ornving to call me names,” Max Lamar used to muy, “oall me « horsethief or a mental error or even a dove of peace. But, unless you want to start trouble, don't oall me a detective, Tam a crime specialist. believe me, look at my card, I @4n't go to the expense of getting that engraved, just for 9 Joke. “A stage detective gous In for Aisrulses and flashlight A renlsl teve goes in for square toes and stool pigeons. Tm @ specialist, As much of a specialist as the doctor wio tiumps your If you don't ‘Max Lamar, Crime Specialist.’ Geteo- I don't use any of thone frills, But Max Lamar himeelf was the only person who (d not call Max i yes, and one of tlie very aleverest detective inown. He hed a positive genius for the man jut. probing brain of the scientist; coupled with the bulldog streak of the tdeal the city had His was the alertly He had served for years on the city’s crnok central oillce detective squad, ‘Then, while he was still under thirty, he had latd down enour lai up enough reputation to leave the force and go lity | Hie firet move, as a free agent, had boon to d “detective” and to substitute the lesa objectional|s» term of ‘which now adorned his cards and tho glass door of hin airy little office, money and s for himself, shorred name of me specialist,” »p the of soul and of face. of Impatient at the le . futtic life of the girls in her own walk of life, she had chosen to change much of } nfortitble lelsure into toil in behalf of released prisoners. Sho had learned how cold and deso- jJate the world may be to men who have just paid their prison debt to the State, And she made a point of meeting such men, on their release, to als words of cheer to them, to find work for thom, o.ten to let them have money that mhould keep them honest until they could gain employment, To-day June had heard that “Circle” Jim Borden's sentence was to expire at noon, So noon found her and her mother tn the Warden's office awaiting the cony pearance The Warden, aman as kindly as his n employment would permit, looked forward with keen interest to the meeting of the youthful "Prison Angel" and igible prisoner. n Jim Borden's in better ways, it was sure 1 rag this, Yot, remembering Jim's record, the War- den had grave doubts “*Cirele Jim" Borden, The door of the Warden's office opened. A. ke pped into the « are-built man tuk ‘ of “prison-ma¢ figure was lean; the 4 wore the son rful shoul Clothes, man as awed fa the pow on stoop. ng stamped und vietim 1a dull Jered benind deer ave scant hope of a broken or pont- character, power have wi an th ut heights. Instead, hi em to sound sight of him June's r little throb, Sho ta had did not know w The Warden f ing, wnd atreech the neweom siby, Jim," he sald, pleasantly. “T hope you're going to take a brace thia time. You can do It if vou try There's plenty of chance for you ye it"— His professionally cheerful voice gradually died away and his out- stretched hand dropped to hia side: ith the sullen contempt in the sunken * Jim said no word tn reply fle made no move to accept the prot- fered hand, He simply stood in weary Impatience until the set speech shou be done and he should be at liberty to Ko A lock of the unkempt white mane that covered his great head fell down over his brow, Borden lifted a hand to brush it back, June noted that It was his left hand, and that he kept his right hand hidden tn his jacket Then, as the warden ceased to speak, the man turned to leave the room Hold on, Jim," interposed the war- den. "This young lady wants to speak to you.” Borden had reached the office door, But the keeper barred his way. Scowl- ing, he turned to look at June. ‘The girl camo forward, impulsively, lay- ing @ hand on his arm, “You are going to let me help you, she pleaded. “You are going to let me be of use to you—to be your ‘6 to his feet, emil- hg out his band to riend!" grimly repeated Borden, the prison “rasp” making his deep voice sound as thourh it needed oll- ing. "Friend? Hell!" “But I want to help you!" she urged, undaunted. “I want you to make ‘a man of yourself, It is not too late, If not for your own sake, then for your wife’ A spasm of f features. But at once he regain control of himself, “My wife," he sald, shortly, “1s dead." A Wasted Plea. “Oh, I'm 80 sorry! So sorry!" sald June, in quick sympathy. “But—but gurely you have some one—some daughter or son—or son—for whose sake you can live honestly, Some son, perhaps, for whom you can set a mplendid example of manhood—~ ‘ircle’ Jim shook away her gentle hand in a violent shudder, His pale Mp twisted back Into a sudden wild beast suwi, before whose animal rage 1 twisted the heavy d keeper who, after an inquiring the warden, let him go. Presently, as the gate lea gl ft posted him, timidly, paused a moment, trre pavement, “But 1 didn’t mi Honostly, I didn't. Please forgive me, Mr, Borden." dered the gate guard, as Borden mere Wy 1 down into the flower-fac yappealinely upraised to up and thank the lad crook, Ain't you Kot no June silenced her loud-mouthed champion with a pretty gesture of ap cle” Jim made to turn away. you must feel toward every one. But I do want you to let me do some- Was something thing for you. June involuntarily shrank. ‘Then he money for them both bolted from the room, pushing past Jim's next patxed 4 guard threw open throng that watched n the prison to letins. t outside June caught up te lon, In the ch: your feelings, I'm afraid,” taboy!" f as hoe from his mouth pute, on the to look n to, portly And I'm sorry, next to him. was staring ecstatioally Hie coat of his jJewelled peak up, you old grizgy!” or- upward at the wax open “Speak: Ww: n the pocket fall half-inch above the top ket; being thrast out of Ita the owner's «trained position, — F i's mouth grew dry and his dull only human occupants. Tho Pirate temptation King shared their hiding place. The blood of anners at of the po all? “‘She’—— ‘ ‘ peal; then went on, r ‘> “Cire gripped and shook him. g ‘apidly, aa “Cire frie of "Red Cirole” erooks sudden Ignatius “Mr. Borden, I know how bitterly ly bolled up within the lad’s veins Here, within easy reach of hia band, 4 fest § inches tall, and he was the that ought to hock only son and heir of the rarbage-col- If tt angers you to for enough cash to buy all the ciga- lector who lived two doors down the THE EVENING WORLD, SATURDAY, DECEMBER 18, 1915 OOMGWMODIOBDOIMODOSGOOOOTOVNGS A Mystery Romance of Heredity back over his shoulder to make cor. tain the chase was momentarily out of Ha view, Korden ripped one of the fonce's sf the end bo Il bul- narrow home Joined this opening; follow a per fats ry coed loosened board bac yaretto butt dropped stood Instant to He lowered his eyes bo oohig His gaze fell on the meridian of the man standing rds loose, thus widening the perture. He shoved the panti g Ted through J; pushed the in place and sot his breath He~and his son were in a disused lumber yard; @ fenced-in space whose ground was ‘still ankle-deep in shin- gles, bits of scantiing and broken hoards, Hix hasty glance met no human being, But that was because his glance was so extremely hi and because hia prisou-weakened eyes were no longer so keen as of yore rhe and Ted were not the yard's ‘The Pirate King, in private life, was Aloysius McQuald, — tnti- mately known as "Spudsy.” He was have me talk to you, won't you at rettes and ten-cent whiskey he could alley least take this, to help you along un- gooeung witcher So intent did his every faculty all ne that he did not hear unused ofd jumber yard, and had con- up behind him, halt ab- verted if Into @ pirate ship; with a murmur his name. Ted's hand, coveted watch, til _you can find steady work?" As she spoke sho drew from her wrist-bag @ little roll of Dilla, and at once b thrust them into the convict’a cal- ® man co ruptly loused let? hand, The Well-meant act scourged Bor- den, from contemptuous apathy, into flaming rage. His gnarled fst gripped tight on the money, crushing {t to a wad. Then he flung it to the pave- ment and turned sharply away, Again the girl sought to detain bim, At her touch he whirled savagely upon her, his lips drawn back from his yellowed teeth, bis left fist clenched and half raised, as if to strike ‘Tuls was too much for the chival- rous gate guard, He flung himself spon Borden, catching the upraised arm and thrusting him back from the frightened girl. ‘The thrust sent “Circle” Jim caroming against a clean cut young man who had just rounded the corner toward the gate, Sous me, Mr, Lamar,” began the guard, "He Jim had recovered his balance and, disregarding the others, strode toward June, muttering angry incoherence Lamar, In one double gesture, slipped his own athletic body between the two and drew a revolver from his bip pocket Ho levelled the weapon at Borden, who Instinctively threw up his hands As he did so the guard pinioned him from behind, “Here.” sald Lomar, briskly, as he cketed the revelver and pulled out pair of shining Mttlo handcuffs, elp me put these on him." “No, no,” begged June, “It was my fault.’ Pease let him go. Please do.” “Turn Him Loose Lamar shrugged his shoulders. " n him loose,” he ordered the t miard And “Circle” Jim scuttled off down the street like a bullet grazed solf, Lamar turned to June, raising bis soft hat hope he didn’t frighten you,” he sald. “Really, you shouldn't have In- reeded for him just now. If you et us arrest him'"— Jad 1 didn’t," she made an- ‘And thank you for coming to , Mr, Lamar, I" you know my name?” he ered, "Yet I'm sure T never If I had 1 couldn't have No,” she laughed, embarrassed, ou ‘never met me, But you were nted out to me at the opera one evening by Charlle Graham, a chum f yours id me all about your detective we And it interested me end y . I bad never 1 real, live det ‘rimo specialist,” put in Lamar. alist please, Miss — “Crime Sp M answered June, adding: ny mother. I want you Travis,” “Oh, here 1s to meet he As Lamar helped the two ladies into their car, a few minutes later, he had the joy of hearing June s “Won't you come and eee us—and 1 us me your w ‘ad sputter » half-coherent re- ‘ usually cool-headed man vd staring in foolish happiness after the car, To his own surprise, he found imself trying to recall every inflection of June ‘Travis's sweet voi every expression of her big laughter- lt eyes, in a month, His fingers The “Pirate King.” Spudsy had long ago discovered the pile of corner boards as quarter deck. HERome OF THe RED CIRCLE. With a start he came to himself. ni9 finger tips had closed lovingly on orders to his Imaginary crew, Spuday He had hastened to the prison to 868 the fob, Circle” Jim Borden released, and to things hapt Ant—all because of ON@ wae Atan-Hunt. The watch's owner felt the touch of glanced down~ the nicotine- “Thief!” “Cirele”™ Jim follow hir ad quite forgotten Jim's pirl—he ve existence, and had let him get clean away, A pretty crime special- the ist, f city—to trace on thousands of hun . . . . . n beings. was no novelty to him, Though he ! was barely twenty-two, this was the position he had managed to here were but three things on h in which the lad f guld inte attes, 10 cent «oy and loafing, To where for a more or less irregular in- terval. ner, to the lower le after the had arette in the varnish room, The eu- bef factory A n lighted a cls- perintendent had caught him at it, time to avert a blaze, and had forth. with discharge With half a week's pay in lis pock~ ot, Ted had repaired to Star saloon, the headquar ers of Nis select crowd of friends, None of als @lmlossly, soth! And now to pick up Ward; made a grab the trail in that dense labyrinth of a stained digits, wild beast among On same instant Borden (who had caught sight of B18 ibJe ‘ag possible. F wed the crowd's out- 419 ‘ ca Borden waa out of a Job, This Skits and who had come up behind q gray-maned, 4! mortal an- jow— ‘Ted by the nape of the he had heen gras k and forcibly hauled lim away, The watch’s owner bawled and gave chase “Stop knees and dig in th The cry waa like a dog that ts digging t. These were clgar- taken up, a8 others in the crowd saw chuoks. it even a Thi nimbly into a by- downward tnto th Acquire the frst two he sometimes street, still propelling the half-atupe- and shingles and gr Bacpificed the third by working some- ficd youth ahead of him, Aa father and son rounded the cor. Whose top a coating of © Max Lamar was crossing the seantiing ends still adhered end of the Square, : saw the chase begin, and Ws; shoved the youns: of Borden just He heard eting glimpse re ho and ‘Ted disappeared he man for whom Max had vainly n acarching all afternoon! Lamar ‘To all tptents and purposes the wood ped out a police whistle, blew @ yard was aa it Had always leon, No him, w The Ne'er-Do- Well, shrill down Then, at the same time, two was suddenly aware of two men who burst into the yard. He was aghast at this Invasion of his ship. Per haps these two dishevelled and pant ing grown-ups were the owners of th place. Perhaps they would put him in jail for trespassing there Spur shrank back into an angle of his qua ter deck, and tried to louk as invis w the elder of the two men faced old fet r man whoin by the collar, w drop on his for wood He saw him push his hand mass of shavir pe for somet Then he #aw him lift a trapdoor, to ps and ease the youn. He saw the old ‘The man. lifted th ydodr part in through tho o led through it after him, and lowered thu trap door above ‘them #0 carefully that scraps of wood were not disturbed ign of the tr pdoor was visible froin around whose ocor- overhead. ner Borden and Ted had vanished. ‘The master crook was not running was the most His Might had ag definite the centurtes. Spudsy stared, goggie-oyed. TH ghtful mystery The woodyard was acquaintances were there, so he con- 42 Objective as ever bad @ hunted nét only « pirate ship. It was a treas soled him ness by seven drinks of horribly bad whiskey and had then lu bartender Into a crap gan. At the ead of an hou slouched out of the place, considerably more than halt drunk, and with his last cigarette hanging from one corner of his mouth, Perhaps some of bis father’s old cronies might help him—some of tho Holloat district gang to whom “C! cle" Jim Borden's name was one wherewith to conjure—-the gang w whom his father had eternly forbic den the boy to associate, ‘Ted knew his father was a crook And be had always resented Jim's ef forts to keep him straikht, deemert those pitiful attempts the acme of hypocrisy. His father was due to get out of bie some tine soon Then thoy wae'bertain to be envugy } \ f with his lonely jobless~ 10X's. Down one atrest, across another he the pursuit ever within sound and once or twice within sight. Ted had the mouth of an alleyway he plunged penniles4; and on till he reached @ apot Where a 4 the tule ra Into or of a building, ‘There was @ foot or #0 of tween building and fence. ure cave an well, Cautiou: he climbed down from the quarterdeck and made for the spot wh the trapdoor had been ralsed and lowered He bent o the trap, brushing away the concealing wood. Then he saw a shadow fall across the debris and he the jocked up, Over bim stood a man— tall, well dressed; his frm mouth Just - now amiling friendiily down upon the cringing ehild The Second Chapter of “THE RED CIRCLE” Will be published Friday, Dec. 24. OOOO ODL OOOOOUOOK Albert Payson Terhune The Newest PATHE Picture, Now Being Presented atthe Leading Motion Picture Theatres of Greater New York SOOO OD COG “Digging for gold, Johnny? he asked pleasantly; and at sound of the kind voice Spudsy's fright van- ished "NO awered the just 1 fer the pia two guys ran into the gro. “Inta th what?” mar, If quick interes ‘Into the — ground,” Spudsy, “They boat it boy: ind “vm them demanded La+ responded Inte » here through that place in the fence an? one of em—an old geezer with gray hair—he digs here a minute an’ then he ups with a trapdoor they seoota.” Max Lamar w to left and right an’ down on his knees, trans tically pushing the chips and shingle He boosta up the trap with his right band,” continued Spudsy de- ehted with the Interest his words evoked, “An’ on the back of his hand they was a big red ring, Ike \f was painted there, “The Red Circle! muttered Lamar; and just then he found the ring of the trapdoor. Neaving with all his atrength, he threw opén the trap, revealing the mouth of a slanting neath. “'Ctrele’ Jim's widing pl said aloud; preparin “Then he pauses and seribbled on ft: ba RUTH ROLANDO AS “JUNE TRAVIS" 3 Roy.’ hea asagoway be if in thought, nearer and = This afternoon, as he paced his Presently he took out one of his cards Now quarter deck and growling morctless dd Ald. Fol- in his Ilo handed the card to the wonder- ing Spudny. he fis trousers’ pocket for 4 dime, which he handed to the youngs' n you * ho. aa m here 1 then go som: have an ream cone d Hurry now! Chas ter, ald whi “Take this card to the first police- “Load debauc As Spudsy scampered off on his mis- sion Max Lamar drew hy iar “volver and stepped down through the trap- or into the passage beyon ing cautiously, 4 the darkness nid advane- p by etep, through Along that same passageway, not five minutes earlier, “Cirele oJ m Bor den had propelled’ his drunken son Through what | “underground wander eped. At last Jim Another trapdoor had ye push, and the father an rawled out of the pnssi d to A bedroom adjoined this ne rooms bh V's UNsUNpr n Bord: Tod ings, od da are y furnished and ill-Nghted re firs cant note of his surr a mile they ad pushed upward to the m had Into a dusty ines. ‘The excitement, the forced run, the fatieue—all had combined to send the whiskey fumes eddying to hia brain, He was dead drunk; source » to see oF } down somewh anxious only to —anywhere— nd Jim partly led, partly carried him Into the adjoining b with hs run chair bes n in gloor upon his snoring son In Dire Peril. “She asked ned the room's so): H diroom and Carew y with furs paed » cot ist is asked me," he mur- mured Malf-aloud, "she asked me if I had a son to live hones boy to set an example for. tly That- for, A that worthless drunkard plekpocket ts the hoy I've got Hordens loft. And Ho and I are the only und he's @ cur!” His gaze fell broodingly to the tted Cirela on the back of his inert hand Long he sat, motionless, his wretched eyes on the limp sprawled figure before him. Prom n tf me to Uwe, the man's Lareb low parted im some Involuntary word or fragment of a sentence, “The idat of the Bordenst” he mused. “We two. My @on and¥. I hoped—I wag fool enough to hope back there in that “hell of @ jiving tonmb—that ‘Led might redeem. us. That he might prove to be the sal- vation of our name. And now—a thief. ‘The cheapest, meanest, lowest type of thief}! There's no hope. The sooper the Bordeng go the nooner a menace tw society will be done away with. We must go: he and I." The deadehing eyes took on am al- most fanatic glow. Leaning forward, he whispered to the senseless youth: “It ls the only way out, son, Wo rae to the world, you and T There js no hope. Nowing for either of Us, exXoapt—to go: His pallid face ghastly with the force of the emotion that possessed him, Borden rose to bia feet. He ax- ined the window of the bedroom. was Lb esbut. No alr came through. ith fingers that did pot tremble, he turned on the solitary gas Jet; then with one last look af the sleeping boy, he left the room, closing the door behind him. “He will never know!" muttered Rorden, as he came out into tho other room, “He will die in his sleep. Gas Is merotfully palniess. And now it's my own turn. My own—turn A quicker death and less easy to bear than"-— He checked himself; the big shoul- dors tensing; head thrust forward, eyes alight. For, almost under his foot, he heard a muffled sound of some one atumMing in the dark Trapped! Borden understood. His secret bid- ing place had been discovered. An enemy, ¢ven now, was crawling through the passageway beneath him. His thoughts of self-murder vanished: swept away by the wild beast instinct to protect its lair, Nolselossly, he slipped to the trap door, and stood crouching and alert just behind ita hinge, A second later the trap began to rise. Inch by inch it was lifted from below. A pistol muzzle protruded from the narrow opening, then @ hand, an arm, and @ buman head, One lightning look revealed to the crouching Borden the face of Max Lamar, In the same instant “Circle” Jim jaunchod himself upon bis foe. He caught in both giant hands the fins gers that held the revolver, and bent back Lamar's wrist with a swift and powerful wrench that threatened to snap its whole network of bones. Aw he seized Max's wrist Borden dropped heavily uw both knees on the top of the trapdoor, Down the heavy trap, reinforced by Jin solld weight, on bit deep and agonizingly into the flesh of Lia- mar’s forearm, Under this dual assault the revol- ver fell fro Max's helpless fingers. Borden por ed it, rose from the door, again seized Max by the wrist and, with one mighty tug, dragged him up into the room, slamming the trap shut behind hin Lamar, recovering his balan found himeelf facing a levelled revo ver—hia own—and bebind it the writhing face of “Circle” Jim Borden, “Hands up!" snarled Borden, “Up! Up!—so!” fe stood for a moment glaring in cold triumph at his helpless enemy, ‘Then he spoke, slowly, hungrily, from between hard-clenched teeth, “sit down!" he sald Lamar, in no way cowed, but see- ing the’ suicidal folly of resisting, obeyed, Borden seated himself at the far side of a deal table, facing his guest; pistol atill levelled. “Max Lamar,” he sald in the same alow, deop voloe that robbed his words of any melodrama taint, “you've sent mo to prison three time: Now I've got you." Lamar merely smiled, shrugging hin shoulders good naturedly, “Tt seems to be your turn,” he satd, with no trace of fear, “and a forty- four Colt is an argument that has no come-back, Better luck next time,” “There will be no ‘next time’,” an awered Borden, “Pither for you or for me. This ia the end of the road, For all three of us." All three of us? “Both of us,” Borden corrected himself, “You're the doctor,” lightly assent- ed Lamar, bis brain busy calculating the probable length of time it would tuke Spudsy to find and bring along & policeman, Ho wondered morbidly it the youngster would be #0 overcome with 4s at owning a whole dime that he would quite forget the mis- sion by which he was to earn that same dime. “amaria eye roved from the black pistol muzzle to the scarred hand that held ft go menacingly. 6 you still have the Red Cirole, ho said, as if to make conversa- tion, He was playing for time, And he know how morbidly willing the other man could be at times to tale about his strange bir “Red Circ uted Borden, dully, “Yes. A Circle. It is ntill there, on my hand, Always the And it has always marked mem- ber in every generation of my fam~- ily. And the person it marked has always been a criminal—a noble } itage!” he scoffed, bitterly, The Decoration of the Curse of Heaven, | Jim, "One ery generation!" ex claimed Lamar; seeking by show of interest to make the man keep on taking; “that ls le, A aunt of heredity, eh? H taste in ties or “Here the Curse Ends!" “In every gel * the deop voice Here the curse en: "Pnds? But yo rumbled on ge. "Until now 4 Here {t ends,” gat rden again. "Tam going to wipe out the curse by wiping out my family, My son ts in that bedroom—dying, I shall go next, With this gun [ am going to , myself, after | have squared an old score by killing you. His deep eyes glowed now with fa- natic fire, Lamar, despite hia gay courage, felt the cold chill uf fea that aasails most normal men at con tact with the insane, “If you have a God,” went on the terrible, alow voice, nake ready to meet him!" orden, as he spoke, rats: t volver a few inches, and his fing timlitened on the trigger, Lama ra atl his» unged sud denly f clutching Jim's wrist and twisting jt to one side, ‘The bul- let went wild. In another tnatant the table was overturned, and the two men, locked in furious embrace, were ALaeta i Lay Acad Of Lae ale La { COODDEDDODODODIVOSINs OOOO D and down the little room they reole¢ and lurched, now smashing &! chair under their trampling feet; now sending « shower of plaster from the moulding wall as they fell against it, im fought like a crazed wildcat Lamar, with all the cool sctonce of a trained athlete. Max could not wreneh away the weapon, try as he would. Twice more, in the flerce struggle, tt exploded. But both times the bali flew harmless into floor or wall, Presently, in the deathlouk, Lamag’ fingora found the catch that held the Distol's cylinder in piace. One and he had “broken” the re- sending omaining cart. ring harmless to the floor, used his hold on the useless Weapon and snatched with both handa * for Lamar’s throat, But Before the &rlps could be gained or guarded, he recoiled a step; hia eyes glassy and staring; his wild gase Axed on some, thing behing Max. ad D through the trapdoor two polies. men were climbing—summoned by“ Sudsy as they had stood chatting te~ gether on @ street corner, With a roar of fu Borden » snatched Up the overturned table ana” hurled it with all his foree at the charging policem: then followed up that brief advantage by making a dash. for the unguarded trapdoor, . The foremost policeman caught thes flung table glancingly on his upraised. acm, staggered under the impact, then." drew his pistol and turned to help fis cimrade who had grappled Borden at ® the very entrance of the trap, MeL Lamar did not join in the triple... fight. Ils keon nostrils had caught’ smell of escaping gaa, He remem. ” ail at once what Borden, hade!t said: “My #on i# In that 1" sami dying!” And he ran to the bedroom. door, opened it and entered. pnd The two policemen, stalw: bed were, found “Circle” Jim cnenpeoatie Lye on hand to subdue. The old man was fighting lke a beast at bay. Nor was” he iughting to escape, for he made?” no move to tear himself free from his’ opponents, a His Last Fight. Instoad, he seomed to be ti as get hold of the pistol that ‘one of tae two policemen atill held. He did not succeed in tearing the eun away from the Polteeman, But he did manage. ‘0 eateh the latter’ 0 “s both of hla‘own, ” ™atol Rand tn, Then—while the double wel 7” his foes was upon him and while Bott men battled sturdily to force him to the ‘ground—Jim orden called on every ounce of his ireat * one final effort, ee ae @ Samson of eld, he put Nis power of muscle. ‘And Betore bie captors could so much as gués® hie? Intent he had twisted the pollceman'#® hand toward him so that the pistol :« nuzzlo pressed againat hi bod! Just above the ee Teg dei, bag ‘The same wrench enabled Jim te forea. aalde the pollcoman's trie . is Own forefinger 7 aldo the trigger guard. /NPPed Ine One pressure shot was fired The policemen relaxed their hol aia Borden spasmodicalty leaped we alr and staggered backward, - let through his heart. re a ee The big body burti anes if as led to the floor ‘Circle” Jim Borden, cornered, had’ Killed himself—and with the very ple-)°? tol with which his opponents had»h sought to overawe him, He lay stones dead. His right hand was convulatve. ly clenched above the wound on his. ast. As the horrified polleemen"™’ watched, the angry color of the Red™™ Circia on the back of the hand grad. ually faded into the same livt the reat of the flesh an Tho officers were roused trom, momentary reaction followin, death battle by the appearance offer d mar, who realed out of the bedn & RUKH Of pungent Kas-reok envelop ing him, is nf bi In his arms Max bore a Ifetéss! body. The body of Ted Rorden, Entering the bedroom Lamar had beon well nigh overcome by the fumes of gas that had by this time turned tho tiny place Into a veritable asphyxiation chamber He had caught up the one rickety’ chalr and, stifling and dizzy, had smashed open the window with {t After leaning out for a moment to got back his breath and to steady the whirling of his brain he had crossed to the hed, aelzed Ted's timp: body and had borne {t out to the purer afr of the next room, The Sign Again. There ho Iatd the boy beside his father and, kneeling, felt his pulse and listened at the narrow chest for eound of heartbeats, } Presently he rose, a new solemnity fn bis alert eves, Turning to the two panting officers, he said, very cutetly: “Our work here is done, They are eth dead. Tt is—it ts the end of the Re Cire! r @ 0. @ ‘eo “és @ pene The double inquest was over. The! Inst report was made, Max Lamar'gy work of “keep! an eye" on Jhn Borden was finithed for all tima, From Police Headquarters he set 4 out toward his own office, Theder- 4 ror of the Red Circle tragedy was * still heavy upon him, June Travia bad asked him to call. Intended to take her at her werd. rl's ima e med strangely’ n bis heart and upon his. : ucht. He had. never felt is way before abdut any girl You i he would eall This very afternoon, “It'll be a good antidote,” he told himeelf. “IU make me forget that ous Red Ctrele, Thank the Lord, T'll never have to ae ‘he damnable thing ag It's gone forever.” Just then a limousine that had Deans 1Wn up beside the curb, just in a {of him, started off. Carelenaty, mar glinced at tt He could not the accupants. He had no spectal “ire to gee them. it he was attracted by the 'stahe it of a woman's hi A. white, shapely, dalnty—that lay carelessly on the sash, of the car's open window. nm At first {t was ita be y that drew Max's notice. just at the in- wtant the usine whlaxed away, he had a a ok, and a startled ory broke from him. For, vividly clear upon the snowy surface of the hand-back, glared the Red Circle! Lamar barely had time, as the car n 1 in swirl of traffic, to catch f its number, With shaking he jotted down tn: bis note- ‘Cal: 6604, The Red Circle!” te dazedily, “The Red Circle— v f t of the finger, end thpros