Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-10

denly aware of two men who burst into
the yard. He was aghast at this inva-
sion of his ship. Perhaps these two
d!sheveled and painting grown-ups were
the owners of the place. Perhaps they
would put him in jail for trespassing
there. Spudsy shrank back into an an
gle of his quarter deck and tried to look
as invisible as possible.
He saw the elder of the two men-a
gray named, ghastly-faced old fellow
release the younger man whom he had
been grasping by the collar. He saw
the old fellow drop on his knees and dig
i'm the timber debris like a dog that is
digging for woodchucks. He saw him
push his hand downward into the mass
of shavings and shingles and grope for
something. Then he saw him lift a
trapdoor to whose top a coating of
chips and scantIing ends still adhered.
The man lifted the trapdoor part way.
showed the younger man in through the
opening. crawled through it after him.
and lowered the trapdoor above them SO
carefully that the scraps of wood we're
not disturbed, To all intents and pur-
poses the woodward was as it had al
ways been. No sign of the trapdoor was
visible from overhead
Spudsy stared, goggle-eyed. Here was
the most delightful mystery of the CEN
turtles. The woodward was not only a
pirate ship. 1t was a treasure cave as
well. Cautiously he climbed down from
the quarter deck and made for the spot
where the trapdoor had been raised and
lowered. He bent over the trap, brush
ing away the concealing wood. Then
he saw a shadow fall across the debris
and he looked up. Over him stood a
man-tall, we'll dressed; his firm mouth
just now smiling friendly down upon
the cringing child.
Digging for gold, Johnny" he asked
pleasantly; and at sound of the kind
voice Spudsy's fright vanished.
mo, sir, answered the boy. I'm just
lookin' fer the place where them two
guys ran into the ground"
Into the-what?" demanded Lamar,
in quick interest.
Into the ground" responded Spudsy.
They beat it into here through that
place in the fence an one of 'em-an
old geeser with gray hair-he digs here
a minute an then he ups with a trap
door an down they scoOts."
Max Lamar was on his knees, fran
tically pushing the chips and shingles
left and right.
"He boosts up the trap with his right
hand" continued Spudsy, delighted with
the interest his words evoked. An on
the back of his hand they was big
red ring. like it was painted there"
THE Red Circle"' muttered Lamar;
and Just then he found the ring of the
trapdoor.
Heaving with all his strength, he
threw open the trap, revealing the
mouth of slanting passageway be-
meath.
Circle Jim's hiding place. he said
aloud preparing to descend.
Then he paused, as if in thought. Pres
emily he took out one of his cards, and
scrubbed on it: Need aid. Follow boy"
He handed the card to the wondering
Spudsy. Next he fished in his trousers
pocket for a dime, which he also handed
to the yOungster.
Take this card to the first policeman
you can find" he said. Lead him here.
and then go somewhere and have an ice
cream cone debauchery. Hurry now.
Chase"
AS Spudsy scampered off on his mis-
sion Max Lamar drew his revolver and
stepped down through the trapdoor into
the passage beyond advancing cautious
ly, step by step, through the darkness.
Along that same passageway, not five
minutes earlier Circle" Jim Borden
had propelled his drunken son. Through
what seemed to Ted a mile of under
ground wanderings, they sped. At last,
Jim had pushed upward. Another trap
door had yielded to the push, and the
father and son had crawled out of the
passage into poorly furnished and ILL
lighted room.
A bedroom adjoined this first dusty
apartment. These rooms had for years
nnSnSnpCtp6
place.
Ted took scant note of his surround
ings The excitement. the forced run,
the fatigue-all had combined to send
the whisky fumes eddying to his brain.
He was dead drunk; scarce able to see
or hear; anxious only to lie down some
ere-anywhere-and sleep.
Jim partly led. partly carried him
into the adjoining bedroom and threw
him heavily upon the cot, which with
one chair, formed the rooms sole fur
nishing.
Jim, spent with his run. collapsed
upon the rickety chair beside the cot
and looked down in gloomy disgust
upon his snoring son.
"She asked-she asked me-" he muir
INJURED half-aloud, "she asked me if /
had a son to live honestly for. A boy
to set an example for That-that
worthless drunkard pickpocket is the
boy I've got. He and 1 are the only
Bordens left And-and he's a cur!'
His gaze fell broodingly to the Red
Circle on the back of his inert hand.
Long he sat, motionless; his wretch
ed eyes on the Imply sprawled figure
before him. From time TO time, the
mans harsh lips parted in some invol-
untary word or fragment Of a sentence.
THE last of the Borden's," he unused. /
we too. My son and /. I hoped
was fool enough to hope-back there in
that hell of a living tomb that Ted
might redeem us. That he might prove
to be the salvation of our name. And