The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1912-10-15
The Golden
Tortoise
A "Cub" Reporters
Adventure
By Clarissa Mackie

San Francisco's reconstructed China
town was softly aglow with lantern
light 1t was long after midnight. and
there were many alleyways and darL
passages that were pits of gloom. but
the main thoroughfares were lighted
here and there.
Ralph Teseott paused at dim cor
ner and hesitated Ii he went Oh into
the unknown mysteries of this oriental
city. so strangely set within western
civilization. he might never come
his fellow reporters on the Morninl
Scope still rang in his ears.
This was his first assignment. If il
might be called one. Heretofore he
had done society items and now and
then covered small fire or run
away accident He was the cub re
porter and the object of much good
natured badgering when time permit
ted. but he realized now when it was
too late that he had grasped at an as
oA6nAncub that uOuc Va Lnc tCcI VI tuciH
would tackle.
The city editor had taken it as an
III judged joke when he received 8
message on bit of red Chinese paper
splashed with Chinese characters and
bearing the emblem Of well known
baRd Of orientals whose connection
with affairs In the mother country
was more than guessed at.
he had had the message translated
and it read as follows: send one OF
your trusted reporters to the sign OF
the golden tortoise and receive an i'm
portant message
Don't all speak at once. boys,
laughed the city editor before he
flung the paper in the scrap basket.
There was moments hesitation
The reporters had looked at one an
ether and grinned obviously No one
cared to nibble at such bait as that
Then Ralph Tescott had spoken
'I'll take 1t. sir" he said eagerly.
The editor stared and fshed the red
paper from the basket Mean it. les
cott?' he asked keenly.
Eyes. sir" said Ralph.
"The last reporter we sent out in
response to u message of that sort
never came hack"
81 can try. at any rate said Ralph
quietly.
Every well. Here's the paper. Il
may serve as passport. dom
know where the sign of the tortoise Is
Before you go. Tescott. you better read
up about poor Leary's affair. You may
change your mind about it,
I'D rather not waste any time doing
chat If you don't mind. sir. I'D better
be off | won't come back without {
stoIy of some sort"
AS be made his few preparations Il
go out into the night his companion:
ioked him about the assignment
Don't step on the dragons tail. Tes
colt" laughed Lamson- You're apt t.
be swallowed up
"Or get good bite at the least"
Better &c down TO the laundry OIL
the corner and fake up an article.
urged another. 'You can get lot o.
local color down there"
Now he was hesitating on the corne
of the narrow street before he plunged
into its dimness. Even as he STOOD
there lantern here and there wal
bIotted out until the way was almos
in total darkness before him.
How was be to find the sign Of tn,
tortoise, as directed in the mysterious
missive, that might. after all. be moth
ing save an III judged practical joke?
As he was the tool of circumstance
tonight he would let accident deter
mine his course
He stepped down the street. one hant
on an automatic pistol in his coat peck
ct and a wary eye open for lurking
forms
Block after block he traversed in 81
lence. the rubber heels of his shoe
making no sound.on the pavement. Al
he passed dark alleys he could detec
mysterious whisperings from the dark
hess. but he went unframed.
Suddenly something on the sidewall
in front of him stirred with scratch
ing movement. He bent down and
thrilled from head to foot.
1t was large land tortoise. heavily
gilded, and 1t appeared to be alive.
moved sluggishly back and forth as 1
to impede his progress. and when b.
Oh oh Il "A ff
ward the wall Of building juttinl
upon the sidewalk.
When Ralph Tescott followed 1t b.
found it led to doorway-an opel
doorway dimly lighted from an unseel
source within. He followed cautiously
Within narrow. dirty hallway wa
another door that opened inward. A
If impelled by some invisible cord tn
tortoise jerked itself against the doc
and when it swung inward dfoppe,
to step below. and as Ralph follow
ed it went down. down, down. TWEEN
ty-five steps. along level space stil
dimly lighted and narrow walled an,
damp. then down twenty steps, an
other level space and down thirt,
steps into the very bowels Of the city
Strange to say. Tescott met no one
nor did he hear sound that indicate,
any human life was near Yet b
knew that that golden tortoise wa
moved by some human agency. wa
drawn down by some invisible mean
"a wire. silken cord.
He was hesitatfng before narrow
saudily painted door set in the &C
ment wall
Slowly it opened into a room-a nal
row. sitting hole in the ground. |
was furnished In Chinese fashion wit
many silken draperies and handsom
lakewood furniture.
As Ralph entered the door snappe
behind him. and long sigh aros
from the divan on the further side 0
the room. Under the glow Of a yellol
lantern Chinaman came into view
Ralph saw the long cue dangling owe
dark siiken robe. noted the heaviI
padded slippers, the loose sleeves daI
Cling over long yellow skinned hand.
iOoked up at the mans SAD face an
gasped.
It was lean. gaunt face.
But it was not the face Of an orier
tai.
Ii ever the face of an Irishman peel
ed from beneath the guise of China
man it was in the person Of this mys
terious owner of the golden tortoise.
who are you" he asked hoarsely
English
For reply Ralph brought forth th
bit Of red paper and gave it into til
| eager Outstrefched hand.