Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-21

| Funny idea. wasn't it? But Jim be-
! lieved it was gospel truth. That shoell
| get your hands all dirt Mr.
Il have reason to believe it was gos-
pei truth, Eagan," said Lamar. THE
Red Circle on the back of the hand has
always been the sign-manual of a crook,
/ in the Borden family. And
Not always" corrected Sam. There
was that son of his-young Ted Borden
| for instance. He was a cheap crook,
right down to the ground, that young
ster was. But there wasn't any Red
Circle on his hand That shoe, now"
he continued anxiously; but Max inter
rupted.
"That brings me to the point. You
say Ted Borden had no Red Circle on
his hand. And Ted died when his father
died. But how about Jim Borden's
other children"
Circle Jim's other children" cried
Sam, in a wonder that was palpably
genuine His other children? Why,
man alive, Jim Borden never had an
other child but Ted. l was at his we'd
ding. He had lots of faults, did Jim,
but he never in his life looked at any
woman but his own wife. He just fair
worshiped her. When she died-she
was shot in a road agent raid on the
camp, almost right after Ted was born
lit just about killed Jim. He took
their baby away into the mountains
and he never showed up again for six
months. And from that time on, he
never would even speak civil word to
any woman. No, no, Mr. Lamar, you're
barking up the wrong tree. Jim Borden
hadn't but one child. I'll take couple
Of thousand oaths on that"
'And yet" pursued Lamar, absently
winding the shoestring around his fore
finger until the shoe itself was lying
loose in his palm, 'and yet-by the
way, had Jim any brothers or sisters?
Once in a generation the Red Circle APP
peared, he used to say. He may have
been the one in his own generation;
and the birthmark may have been in
herited from one of his parents by one
of Jim's nephews or nieces'
"Nephews or nieces?" echoed Sam, his
eye on the shoe around whose sole La
mars fingers were carelessly opening
and closing. "Nephews or nieces? Not
him. Jim was the only son of his pa
rents. He's told me so. Besides, L
knew his MOTHER widow woman she
was. And she used to say again and
again that she wished she'd had other
children besides Jim, to care for her
when she was old. He was the only
chick or child she had. Nope, Jim
hadn't any nephews or nieces, Mr.. La
mar And, by the way, if you don't
mind, I'll just go on working while we
chat. If you'll hand me that shoe
"PIl tell you why I ask" said Lamar,
impressively, leaning forward and en-
phasizing his words by tapping the shoe
against his knee. Because L happen
to know that no less than two people
in this very city today have the Red
Circle on the backs of their right
hands"
''What?" cried Sam in amaze, almost
forgetting the shoe in his establishment.
1.-TWO people," reiterated Lamar. 1.-TWO
people. man and a woman. Two
clever crooks that the police can't seem
to corner. Each has the Red Circle,
and each seems to be crook as dan
gerous as Jim Borden himself. That's
why L came here to ask you if"
He broke off and looked down with
sudden curiosity at the shoe he was
holding. AS he had been abstractedly
shaking 1t to and fro he had all at once
noticed that a faint rafting sound came
from somewhere within the shoe.
He had turned it upside down as he
talked, expecting a pebble to roll out
But the shoe was empty. He shook II
again. This time he could near the
rattling sound quite plainly. He lfted !
tho shoe To his ear and shook it once
more =
There's something loose in the heel
of this shoe" he said, something that
rattIes like a loose bit of metal.
sam did not answer. Surreptitiously
the cobhler had reached behind him and
had picked UP the heavy, shorthandled
hammer with which he had been work.
ing. :. II.
Holding the hammer covertly In ms
hand. he balanced its weight anu as
his arm muscles tensed, he measured
distance to La
mars left temple. One blow would 90
a.. hut IL must be a quick blow, q
strong blow, a sure dow
Murder was not one of Smiling sam
Eagan's accomplishments. Yet II Lamar
should chance to stumble on the secreI
az the hollow heel and the brooch MD
den therein 1t must at once become
question of Max's death or the COP
bler's dearly priced liberty, ana 10
Eagan's mind, that question was no
question at all. 1T. 7.
would be easy enough to dispose of the
bodv- thanks to that hidden back room
and the secret exit to the yard ana
yes" went on Lamar. there's some
thing rattles in this heel. Just as IL
there was a compartment inside Win
something lying loose in It,"
He picked up an dWl rum tAO SSi.
and inserted it between heel-tap ana
upper Eagan drew long breath
and half-lifted the hammer.
Good morning, SAM" came clear
Young voice from the doorway. m
going out of town for the summer. i
stopped in on my way to the station to
see how you are getting on and to tell
vou-Oh, how are you, Mr.. Lamar! It's
so dark in here, after the sunshine,
didn't see you"
The spell was broken. The tension
was relaxed. Lamar, at sight OF June
Travis let the shoe tumble to the floor,
forgotten, as he sprang up to greet her.
Sam laid down the hammer with a
grunt of reaction. AS Lamar strobe for
ward to meet June the cobbler thrust
the shoe into the breast of his own
shirt and substituted for 1t another one
from a nearby pile on the floor.
Then he numbered to his feet and
waddled forward to pay his respects to
his lovely guest, who was chatting ami
matedly with the visibly fascinated
Lamar.
How are things going, Sam?" asked
June, cheerily, turning from Max as
the cobbler reached her side. us thel
rheumatism any better? And do people
pay their bills any more promptly"
1.-THE rheumatism is pretty bad, miss,
said Sam, with fine show of courage,
"but I can stand it. The doctor did 1t
a LOT of good last month: but he won't