Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-14
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CONTINUED from last issue.)
FIRST INsrALLMENT,

FIRST INSTALLMENT.
Borden understood. His secret hiding
place had been discovered. An enemy,
even now, was crawling through the
rassaCeway beneath him. His thought
of self-murder vanished: swept away by
the wild beast instinct TO protect its
Lair.
Noiselessly. he slipped to the trap door,
and stood crouching and alert just be-
hind its hinge. A second later. the
trap began to rise. Inch by inch, 1t
was lifted from below.
4 pistol muzzle protruded from the
narrow opening; then hand, an arm,
and n human head.
ono lightning look revealed 10 tho
crouching Borden the face OF Max La
mar. In the same instant, Circle" Jim
t. launched himself upon his foe. He
caught in both giant hands the fingers
that held the revolver, and bent back
I.amar's wrist with a swift and power
full wrench that threatened to snap its
whole network Of bones
As he seized AIax's wrist, Borden
dropped heavily upon both knees, on
the top of the trapdoor. Down crashed
the heavy trap REINFORCED by Jims solid
weight. The door edges bit deep and
agonizingly into The flesh Of Lamar's
forearm.
Under this dual assault the revolver
fell from AIax's helpless fingers. Bor-
den poc,xeted e.; 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 be-
hind him.
Lamar, recovering his balance Sound
himself facing 2 leveIed revolver-his
own-and behind Il the writing FACE OF
Circle Jim Borden.
Hands up.' snarled Borden. "CplI
Up.-So.'
He 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 said.
Lamar, IN 10 way cowed, but seeing
the suicidal folly Of resisting, obeyed.
Borden seated himself at the far side Of
a deal table, facing his guest, pistol
still leveled.
Max Lamar he said in the same
slow. deep voice that robbed his words
Of any melodrama faint, You've sent
me to prison three times. Now, I've got
you"
Lamar merely smiled; Struggling his
shoulders good naturally.
1T seems to be your turn" he said,
with no trace Of fear, and q fOrty-four
COlL is an lAidl HIS 4lO IO4ilG-
back Better luck next time"
There will be no next time" an
swered Borden. Either for you or for
me. This is the end Of the road. For
all three OF u.s."
"Au three of us?"
Both OF US" Borden corrected HIM
self.
You're the doctor" lightly assented
Lamar: his brain busy calculating the
probable length OF time IL would take
Spudsy to find and bring along police
man. He wondered morbidly if the
yOungster would be so overcome with
bliss at owning whole dime that he
would quite forget the mission by which
he was to earn that same dime.
Lamar's eye roved from the black
pistol muzzle to the SCARED hand that
held II so menacingly.
'T see you still have the Red Circle,
jim" he said, as If to make converse
ton
He was playing for time. And. he
knew how morbidly willing the other
man could be at times TO talk about his
strange birthmark.
Red Circle" repeated Borden, duly,
Yes. The Red Circle. 1t is still there,
on my hand. Always there. And 1t has
always marked one member in every
generation Of my family. And the per-
son il marked has always been a GRIM
inal-a noble heritageH he scoffed, Bit
terly. THE Decoration Of the Curse of
Heaven. 1 have heard II called"
zone in every generation" exclaimed
Lamar; seeking by show of interest, to
make the man keep on talking, that is
remarkable. A sort of heredity, eh?l
Like red hair or bad taste in ties or
In every generation" rumbled on the
deep voice unheeding. Until now. Here
the curse ends
ENDS? But you have a son, haven't
your
Here It ends" said Borden again: "I
am going 10 wipe out the curse by wip-
ing out my family. My son is in that
bcdroom-dying. I shall go next. With
this gun 1 am going to shoot myself.
after L have squared an old score by
killing YOU"
His deep eyes glover now with fanat-
ic fire. Lamar, despite his gay courage,
felt the cold chill of fear that assails
most normal meE at contact with the
insane"
IF you have God" went on the ter
rible slow voice, make ready 10 meet
him.
Borden, as ne spoke, raised the re-
volver a few inches, and his finger
frightened en- the trigger. Lamar. gath
erlnS ali MS strength, lunSed Suooen-
ly forward, clutching Jim's wrist and
twisting IL TO one side. The bullet went
wild. In another instast, the table was
overturned, and the two men, locked
In furious embrace, were fighting for
possession OF the weapon
Up and down the little room they
reeIed and lurched: now smashing a
chair under their trampling feet; now
sending q shower OF plaster from the
lnCIding wall as they fell against it.
Jim fought like a crazed wildcat; La
mar. with all the cool science OF .
trained athlete. Max could not wrench
away the weapon, try as he would. Twice
more, in the fierce struggle, il exploded
TUInV m nrnV IIlI0