The evening world. Newspaper, March 11, 1916, Page 9

AY, MAROH 11, 1 “000020000 THE RED CIRCLE DOOGDODOGHOHDGODOHOGDDGGGDDIGDOGDOOHDGHDOPHOGODOGO OHO DHDODDHOHOHOHOHDHDHHHDGDHOHDDDHOHOHHO “The Red Circle,” repeated Borden dully. “It is still there, on my hand, always there. And it has marked one member in every generation of my family. The person marked by it has always been a criminal. The ‘Decoration of the Curse of Heaven,’ | have heard it called!” Novelized from the Pathe Photo Pay of the Same Name by Will M. Ritchey. (Copyright, 1018, by Albert Payson Terhune.) 8YNOPSIS OF PRECEDING CHAPTERS, wd 8 iminal, Jim's death the Kt iw marked with an irregular red ctrole on the back of this hand seared on the hand of one member of every generation Max Lamar, 1 Circle has been seen on the hand of a woman thi, the Borten famliy loarna that after ts, @ beautiful it] whom Laiuar aliniren, has recently discovered this circle on the back of ber own right band, She confides the secret to har old nurse, Mary, who te horrified June, drives on by the apell of the Red Cirle, Juve te Jim Bonten’s daughter, t hearing of it, and who confesses that comunite several daring orlinse but all of them for the bene@it of the poor or Lil treated, Among those she befriends is Charles Gorion, @ lawyer, who ie unjustly accused of ambeariement, He uses thie knowledge to biackmall har into giving him shelter when the police are hunting hie, Lamar Giscovers Mam, who tries to Rill him, Sam i knncked genselew in the enmuing fight and ie carried to @ hospital, crook, learna that June ie Bonten’s danghter, saves Lamar’s life, “smiling Sam" Bagso, © June CHAPTER XI11.—Branded ase a Thief. est chair, Reaction had eset in. Hoe L AMAR, In the midst of the eantence, reeled dizzily. fallen but for June's restraining arm, He collapsed into the near- He would have wes faint, weak, spent. The walls seemed to dance crazily around bim. The figures of the three eaxious women were vague and blurred to his dared vision, Max felt himself Lifted, with ittle help from himeeif, to his feet. He etaggered down the stairs, upheld on etther side by Mrs, Travis and Mary, ‘Then, as he sank into « deep leathern chair in the library, he let hia weary senses elip from him, All but unconscious, he let Mary bathe his out head. In « fow minutes he opened his eyes and sat up straight, et!!! somewhat weak and shaky, but himself again, And then he noticed that June wae standing above him once more, look- ing down at his haggard face with all her @oul in ber big eyes, The girl had changed from her riding suit to a pretty house gown. ‘The sight of her brought back to Max the purpose of his visit to the ‘Travis house that day—a purpose that his life-and-death grapple with “Smil- ing 8am” Eagan had driven momen- tarily from his mind. He found it strangely hard to say to June what be had come to say. Ho loved her—loved her more than every- thing else in all the world. And she had just saved him from death at Bam Pagan’s hands. But for her tn- terference Bagan's knife must unques- Gonabdly have found his heart. She had winked a blow from that knife to warn him; to sewing him aside out of dan- eer. The Intervtew, How could he confront her with the cross-questionings that he had re- hearsed; the cross-questionings that would prove to him whether or not whe was really the Red Circle woman— the woman who had robbed Farwell, who had?— ‘Taking bold of his faltering resolu- ton, Max prepared to got through with the crue) ordeal as quickly as possible. He looked from Mrs. Travia to Mary; then, hesitatingly, said: “I—I should very much like to speak with Miss Travis alone for a fow minutes, if you don't mind. You'll par- don me, won't you, for asking it? Ive very important.” Mrs. Travis raised her pencilled eye brows in slight surprise at so udd a request. June looked etartied and seemed about to speak, but changed her mind and stood pale and tense as Mrs, Travis and Mary left the room. Mrs, Travis went through to the veranda. But Mary lingered just out- side the Ibrary door and crouched there, tremblingly listening. Lamar, for an instant, gazed half- frowningly at the girl who awatted the ordeal. Her brave eyes were fixed on his. The eoft lips did not tremble. Only by the ebbing of her radiant color did June betray the dread that made her aick at heart. Max, looking at hor, felt his resolve at crumble. All once ho knew he could not do what he had set out to. ow the e blurted out incoherently, “you can't know any- thing abou Farwell thi or any of the rest of the Red Cl crooked ness, I know you don’t. And I won't fnault you by asking you, Besides— you saved my life. June, dear! Btill too weak to trust himself on his feet, he reached forward tmpuls- ively aud caught her hand tn his as gho stood startled, before him, As he raised his face to bers June saw a worll of love in his uplifted eyes And her fear v ed—swept away by an emotion that mastered and dazzied her; an emotion she now understood for first time She knew, now, she loved Max Lamar. "I Love You. June did not try to draw away the hand he held prisoner, She found herserf sinking to her knees beside Lamar's chair. She no longer dared t in his eyes lest na tell turned noand keelt th hin every sho her king in word, staring raptly into space as if into fairyland. love you! over and over. wweetheart, Lamar was saying, “I love you, June, my Ob, I love youl" ‘The girl's heart was beating madly. Her pulses were tingling; her brain was aflame, In vain she tried to remind herself that she was a crim- inal, an out that she had no right to listen to him—that she, the Ned Circle thief, was beneath his respect—that t was not for her to let an honest man ruin his life by loving her. “He loves me! He loves me! man I love loves me!” She could not stir, she could not speak. Kneeling there, her breath coming quick and Irregularly, she listened. “If you will try to care for me—fust a Uttle, little bit,” he was urging, “I'll epend my whole life trying to be worthy of you; trying to make you happy, June—my darling—tell me you love me! Tell mo"—— His imploring words fell etlent in the very midst of a sentence. He had started to raise her little white hand to his Mps. As he did go, his eyes for the first time left her face, Ho glanced down lovingly at the ‘unreststing hand he had lifted, And there on its satiny surface glazed and throbbed the hideous Red Ctrele! His mouth open, his eyes glased with horror, his body frosen Into movelessness, the man stared dully, unbelievingly at the frightful scarlet stain, For an instant he could not apenk nor stir. Hoe felt as though he were in some damnable nightmare from which he must presently awake. Beads of cold sweat gathered on his forehead, His bloodshot eyes seemed starting from their sockets. The Red Circle! The Red Circle! And on the snowy band of the girl he adored! His mind, usually so Mehtning quick, so dendly sure, could for the moment grasp no more than that one blasting truth: The The Red Circle was on June Travis's hand, She was the mysterlou woman—the woman tn black—the velled woman—the Red Circle lady— the inheriter of Jim Borden's crime curse! She—June Travia! it oould not be. Yet—tt wast June had Ustened spellbound to his ardent love avowal. Now, as he ceased to speak, she turned her face slowly toward him. The love in her eyes was no longer hidden from him It wag his to see—to know—If ho chose to But she found he was no longer looking at her face, It was her right hand at which he was st y with such dumb fixedness. Her own gaze —dreamy with unspoken love—fol- lowed the direction of his. She looked down at her hand that his cold fingers still grasped, And she saw the Red Circle. With a wordless ory she shrank back and tried with all her might to snateh away the tn hating hand from his But grip on it Slowly, Lamar raised his head. And now, at last, their eyes met, There arning tenderness on in elther's look was no love no nor blaze of pa: now Fach of them saw, in the other's giance, an agony of terrified shame. For fully a half minute—it seemed an eternity--thelr eyes met and held one another in that awful look of terror. Then Lamar spoke, His voice was roaked She strove to parched lips refused thelr duty. With speak, But her @ sudden revulsion of feeling Max Lamar cast her trembling band from him and staggered to his feet, looking down at her, his pain sick oyes flash- ing with rage. “You a Thief?" “You!" he gasped, hoarsely, “You! A—a thief! And you've played with me—tricked me—used mo as @ cats- paw!" “Nol” she wailed. “No! Oh, you don't understand! I—I can't explain —I didn't mean to—I couldn't help it. I couldn't, Ob, Max, for God's sake, don’t look at me like that! I can’t etand It! Don’t—Max!" She was on her knees now, grovel- ing at hie feet, pouring out broken entreaties, hysterical pleas, “You tricked me!" be raged. “You betrayed my trust! “Nol No!” she wept convulsively, “Oh, Max! I'm not what you think I am! Or, if I am, it Isn't because I want to be, God knows how I've fought against it. But it’s too atrong tor me, If 1 could make you under- stand" — Her voloe was strangled with sobs. She buried her face in her arms and gave herself up to an anguish of pas- sionate weeping. Lamar sank into his chair again; the first gust of his anger dying away as he watched the heartbroken girl at his feet. He bowed his head in hopeless misery. And #0 for @ space they remained, no word passing between them as they cowered amid the ruins of their Castle of Happiness. Just outside the arch of the Ubrary doorway crouched Mary—shuddering, aghast; dreading to go, fearing to stay. Peering cautiously around the edge of the arch the old woman saw tho two stricken lovers. She saw Lamars white, drawn countenance staring blankly into nothingness, She saw the set look on hia face soften to utter wretchedness, Then, as his eyes fell on June’s crushed figure, the former love crept back, unbidden, tnto the man’s vis- age, Not the triumphant, eager love of a few minutes before, but a stronger and deeper love; a love butlt firm upon the foundations of wrecked happiness—the perfect love that cast- eth out fear, And Mary drew a long breath of relief. This man would not betray her darling’s secret. Inch by inch his hand crept ont unth it rested on June’ “Don't be unhappy, little girl,” he said, very gently, “I am going to shield you, Because I love you, dear, Sree Ills voice choked. June's hand stole into his, At her appealing pressuro he found words again, ‘1 want you to marry me, my sweetheart,” he went on “Marry me and we'll fight the curse together, Aide by side, with our love to help us, we'll win the victory over it.” A ‘trange Propo: “Max,” she cried, a world of grati- tude and longing in her sob-shaken votce, “Max! You want me to be you after—after" wifi es," he made answer, very sim- ply Vill you marry me “But,” she faltered, “can you ever forgive me for—?" “Forgive yout’ he echoed. “Why, June, I love you!” She swayed toward him, her tear- stained face glorified by the love that shone from {t. But before his arms cloge around her she started pulling her band away dea she said, “No, It can't be, “You don't love me? “Love you?” she breathed. “Why, Max, I didn’t think there waa any- thing on earth so strong as this love of one for you, I do love you. You know I do. I love you too much to be your wife. I can't marry you with this black taint on my lite vith this vile Red Circle burning on my hand." “I must fight {t alone,” swered with sad firmness, "A!l alone, Max. If I loved you less I might let you share the burden, But I won't we will she an let it crush you—ee it le crushing me I won't marry you. Not because I don’t care enough, but because I care @ million times too much.” “You care!” he cried. “That te the in haste only thing that matters, For the anke of your love, I'd gladly eaddle myself with @ far more terrible curse than the Red Ciro. Marry me and"— “No, dear,” abe whispered, “Tt must be no. Now and always, I en- derstand that now. For a moment I didn’t, But that was because I didn’t realise how much I loved you. And now I want you to go, please, while I am atill strong enough to help you save yourself. Go, dear.” “Nol” he denied doggedly. “Best go, Mr. Lamar,” advised Mary, gliding forward into the room and slipping her arm around June's heaving shoulders, “Best go now. She is right. She knows. And, any- way, you'll gain nothing by staying. Give her time to tmnk.” Max looked from one woman to the other in puzzled trresolution, Then—— “I will go,” he said, briefly, “but I'm coming back. And I'm going to keep on coming back until I get the answer I want.” oe © © © we “smiling Sam” Eagan opened o' eye. Then, very cautiously, opened the other. Nothing hap- pened. He had had an idea the sky was going to fall on bim. He lay blinking up at @ white oeilin: cet]. ing much cleaner than that of any other room he could remembes, And he began to think. Just at first this was not an easy feat, For the blow with which Lamar had knocked him senseless had go com- pletely deadened hia Drain that Sam had not come to himeelf until nearly an hour after he n carried to the nearest hospital apd hed been dumped down on a oot there, A Plan of Revenge. Now, with much MMoulty, he be- ean to collect his scattered wits. He remembered hiding in the attto of the Travis house. He remembe' hearing Lamar’s voice in the hallway below talking with June. He remem- bered creeping down the attic atairs, knife in hand, He remembered spring- ing at Lamars back and that June had thrust the crime spectaliet aside out of the way of the descending blade, Then—there had been a sorim- mage of some eort. = But at that point memory ha) end imagination hed to piece out the rest of the story, How had Lamar to be in the Travis home and on bis way to the attic? Eagan answered the ques- tion for himself in his own crook fashion he girl had evidently led’'~-had told Lamar of Sam's presence tn the house, biuightway Eagan‘s batred for the crime specialist included @ fierce bate for June Travis ag well, Bhe had be- trayed him to the police, Weill, there was an easy way for him to pay of that score. Painfully Kagan Mtted bis gpiittine, ly aching head frem the pillow and glared around the ward. In the door- Way stood @ nurse, Chatting with her Was one of the policemen who had rried Wagan to the hospital and had remained to get @ report on the disabled prisoner's condition. am fecbly beckoned to the nurse. She toward him. He muttered disjointedly: “L want to—#ee the chief of police. fell him—important, Red Circlet’* Hie slumped back on the cot again, erogey with headache, ‘The nurse conferred in low tones with the policeman. Then she went to 8 corridor desk where stood a tele- phone, THE FINAL CHAPTER 0F ‘THE RED CIRCLE” WILL BE PUBLISHED SATURDA OODOHD: A Mystery Romance of Heredity DOHHHDODOHDAN OOOBDHODA Chief Allen bad had a y morn ing. Charles Gordon, the (ixitive at- torney, bi voluntarily « iimaelt wp to fusticn The chief hot at once went word to Farwell, w ad come to Police Head.uarters to confront the captive, Gordon had beon searched in Far- well's presence. But no trace of the incriminating receipt could be found on him, And, perforce, io had been released for lack of evidence to hold The Chief and Farwe!! were still @itting in the former's office at Head- quarters discussing the case when the telephone buzzed te queer,” remarked Allen as be put back the receiver on the hook ‘Smiling Sam’ Fara by Lamar to-day at t Knocked out was captured Travia house, Hie was taken to the hospital, And now he sends word he wants to see me. Says it's some- thing Important about (he Red Circle case. I'll step and —— “Red Clrele 1 Farwell “That concerns s much as any one in town, » King to the hos- pital with you, If you don't mind. “AN right,” sald Allen, ¢ along. It'll do no har And most Hkely Bagan’s faking. | know the old crook too well to put any faith im his message,” They found “Smiling Sam” Pagan prepped up among a heap of pillows in hie hospital cot. The Chief's Visit. As Allen and Farwell entered the ward Eagan'’s brow! face broke into one of the expansive sities that won for him his nickname Hoe held out his huge hand to the Chief as if toa welcome guest “Thanks for calling so promptlike E\FRUSTED YOUranD you FooLED ME. |” on an old pal,” he bailed bis visitor right merrily, Chief Alien laughed, shook Kasan's proffered hand and sut down. With @ nod he dismissed the nurs “I'm glad to see you In such good epirite, Sum," he in eume vein, “I suy use u're glad to be back with us agalo, ‘e're going to keep you !u sock for & good stretch of yours tile Ume, I hope. What did you want to see me about?” At the question the seraplic smile reg 0D Bagan’s face gave way to a coldly vindictive glower. “What did 1 want?” he “Oh, nothin’ much, Only to t who the Red Circle w al.” “If it's a i “A joke?” viciously, “Ob, It And it's on her, “June Travis! credulous. “June Travis,” oried Murwell, in the game breath, ‘I know 1 was sure of it But Lamar sisting she"—— “June Travis, ing slowly, ven is the Red Circ “I don't believe y t “and I warn you, if amirch her naine, ¢ dence, you'll get are now, Miss T good family. cash, She's done gr risoners, Why #) urn crooked? She 4c money, She doesn’ “June Travis is woman,” doggedly Lns.»te you want me to tell you « don't you?" "Go ahend,” ass quick glance at the « echoed. 1 you up dn Jt repe od Allen, im- penk- declared 16 Red Cirote Le "Do it or 1 was ‘hiding out t Surf ton,” began © edge of the b She was standing right near the cave th: tay and I saw the circle on her bh i "Your eyes fooled you,” scoffed the Chief. “In the glare of » ' “MY eyes didn't fool me,” celterated Sam. “I saw It, I tell y The same @haped mark that used to be on ‘Cir cle Jim’ Borden's hand. [I'm givin’ » MARCH 18, OODOHDOOOOOS: DDDODHDOHOHDOHHDDHHHHHOHDDODSHOHON OO. ® OODOHODDOOSONG OOO 00. By Albert Payson Terhune The Newest PATHE Picture, Now Being Presented at Leading Motion Picture Theatres of Greater New York you straight goods. Go and een the cirele on her hand if you don't belleve Yes, and as I was watchin’ It td her nurse say tho was ‘Circle Jim's’ daughter Heard it with my own ears, Say— why don't you get that old doodiewtt of @ Mary and make her tell? Give the nosey, blabbin’ old catamaran the third degree an’ she'll cough up the truth, But you won't need that. Go look at the girl's hand for your- self. You'll see the Red Ctrole there all right, all right.” Sam's Ruse. perty, unoonvinced, rwell, The Chief, still turned again to “The man’s telling the ejaculated Farwell, “It all fita tn. She's the Red Circle woman, I tell you. I knew it all along. I'd ha sworn to it. But Lamar kept puttt utting me off. Chief, I'm ® Travis house. I'm going bave a look at June Travis’s hand for myself, You ean come along or not, aa you lke,” Hoe stamped out of the ward, The f reluctantly followed. He paused only to order the walt- ing pollecaman to remain on guard over Eagan. Then he hurried on, catching up with Farwell on the sido- walk In front of the hospital, Hogan, his work of vengeange done, leaned back on the pillows with nineid smile, His bright little ey roved dreamtly around the ward where he chanced to be the onty pa- tient. His glance took in the ure of the guardia: Heeman and then moved on to th it door of a clothes He noted @ key In the doors “Say, old playmate,” he addreered the policeman, “I wish you'd stake me to another pillow if hold of one. My back’s Don't bother to call the nurse, I eure do hate *o have women folks pawin’ @round me when I’m gick. There's a Jot of pillows in that closet. I saw her take some trom there. Toss me one, fust for luck.” Good-naturedly, the mae crossed the room te obey the request. He unlocked and opened the aloset door. “Why,” he began, “there's no ptl- lows In here, man, Th = He got no further, A mighty shove in the small of the back sent him headlong into the closet. Before he could turn, Sam had slammed the closet door ehut and locked It, Heedless of the policeman’s frensied pounding on the panels, Hagan thrust his bare fest into tie shoes, drew on his trousers and bolted for the oorri- doorway he collided with a doctor and an orderly, who were en- tering the ward, the nurse at their heels. Taken unprepared the two men were not quick enough to stop the fugitive. He dashed past them, scat. tering them to left and to right, and gained the corridor. And there—~unfamiiar with his aur- roundings—-Fagan started in the wrong direction. Ingtead of going to- ward the stairway, he ran the oppo- ite way. And presently he found himself at the oorridor’s further end with an open window behind him and with no other means of escape, His Last Fight. An he had been carrled thither, renseless, Engan had no way of knowing whether he was on the first or the th floor of the hospital and whether a leap from window would lead to death or to safety Hefora he could look outward through the open casement to learn at what height he might be from the ground, the two pursuing men bore down upon him. They seized him roughly and at once they found they had tackled @ man they could not subdue. Bam, tearing free, glanced about for some weapon with whose ald he could hammer his way past them and to the distant stairs Close beside bim on a desk was the hall tel t up the 1 it loose swung it you can get alf broken, ereen id menacingly above his head The doctor and the orderly recoiled ne wordless threat, Hut jus @ new actor appeared on the The pounding on the closet door had attracted the nurse and she had re- leased the imprisoned policeman. And he came forward at Righ speed, yearning to recapture the crook who had so easily fooled him. The patrolman was a born fighter and, moreo’ he was smarting for iout a second’s hesita at Kagan. Down went f nstrument, swung with \l] the brute strength of Sam's right arm. ‘The blow, fairly landing, would have meant @ fractured ekull at the very least, But the patrolman had spent his boyhood on the water front. He Knew every move in @ rough-and- OOOORG PODDODOHDDDHDODDHHOOSS. POODDDHIDGDIDWOAOHON1 “When I am myself,” sobbed June, “1 loathe the things The Red Circle makes me do. But when the circle begins to throb and glow on the back of my hand, something scourges me on from one mad crime to another ;—some power I can’t control.” tumble barroom fight. And he was not to be felled like a stupid ox. He charged at Eagan, Down crashed the telephone, And, almost in midair, the policeman checked his own advance, stepping swiftly back- The ' weapon, ita distance miscalculated, whizzed harmlessly through the alr, cutting a path fully six Inches in front of the bluecoat’s face. Hefore Sam could recover trom (hat smashing blow the policeman dived tn and grappled him. The doo- tor and the orlerly crowded forward to reinforce the officer's attack. The nurse's screams were bringing other men on the run from all parts of the building Sam, with the true battling In- atinct, realized his peril. There was but one chance of escape. And he ing to Farwell to watch the house from the outside—ran in pursuit. June had fled A agg And, balf ing aloft @ wicker “You keep back!” fiercely to the chief. or". She hurled the chair full et him Fe P. R. pee to ascend the stairs. nd #he fled to the upper . There again, with her ware bande this time, she attacked him. He gently thrust to one side the scrateb- ing, old woman and oon- tinued his pursuit. Fighting every step of the way, Mary dogged the chief's steps as be burst into the suite of rooms that were June's. They were A window leading out on a baloony ao Allen reached f at a must take that chance, without stop- bo ping to calculate Ite percentage, Putting all his strength into one tremendous heave of body and arms he wriggied free from the policeman, As the latter instantly darted at him eenin Sam wheeled around and sprang out through ¢he open window Just behind him, ‘The window was one hundred and thirty-two feet above the ground. And beneath it waa a cement pavement. ‘Smiling Sam” Eagan hed fought Die last fight. He waa stone dead before the first @vping attendant could reach the street and bend above him, Among those who gathered around the shapeless heap was Max Lamar, who, returning from June's home, had decided to stop at the hospital for a word with the prisoner, The word was never spoken, The patrolman, recognizing Lamar, hastened to tell him the tale of th battle, omitting merely his own tm- ate op the closet. © chiet had just been here, too,” finished the officer, “Sam had wont for him. Told him about the Red Cirele woman and*—— To the Rescue. Max waited to hear no more. Leaving the policeman in the middle of @ sentence he set off at @ swing. ‘ng stride for the Travis hom Clearly no time was to be lost, $e + Se «6 ° Pig 4 had Doveusded June to leave rary, where everyth: ke #0 eloquently of the bitter pend with r, The nurse had led the weep- ing girl out into the garden. Thera, ect beside her on a light rustia ench, Mary wee comfort her, Sree yemy te And there Mrs, Travis joined eager to talk over the capture of Sam and to ask what Lamar had had to say to June in the ibrary. She at- tributed the girl's tears to excitement and reaction after the fight In the hall above, Mary, as best ahe could, sought to save June from answering the torrent of que: pews of Mrs. Tr: ntly something occurred to make this kindly effort no now necessary. Yama was ushering two men into the garden, June recognized them as Chief Allen and Farwell. And her heart stood still, Yet, straightening herself, she forced a careless smile to her white lips and stepped forward to greet the visitors “Good day, Miss Travis," began the ehlef, awkwardly holding out bis hand a# he spoke. “You'll excuse us for intruding, won't you. You see, wo" — He paused. Sune had accepted his roffered hand. He held her fingers in his for a moment, peering down at the back of the little hand that lay In hia own, Farwell also stared wolfish- ly_at her hand, But no circle rewarded their keen examination, The back of June's hand was white and unmarked, From her right hand they glanced at her lef* "That, too, was spotless, The two guests looked blankly at each other “What can I do for you, chief? asked June, struggting to keep her voloe steady and pretending not to Notice the double inspection of her hands. “Well,” stammered the chtef, woo. fully {11 at case, “you neo, it's this way, Miss Travis: ‘Smiling Sam’ Eagan wanted me to nee you about—about the Red Circle." y ld I can't be of very much “answered the girl, “I've Lamar “ak about the je, of course, and Tread some- thing about tt, 1 think, in one of the Papers, but that's really all I know What did poor Sam think ['!—— “Look!” shouted Farwell, tn savage glee, “look hore, chief! Look!" When Allen had released June's right hand the girl had allowed it to drop. carelessly, on the back of the bench. Farwell was pointing, excited. ly, at it The chief's gaze followed the direction of the stubby forefinger. Tuna, with a ery, thrust hor hand Rut not before both men the Red Circle begin to , ugh the soft whitensss of Mary's Defiance. ‘The fed Circle!” exclaimed Chtet Allen. He took a step toward the girl. Her the nerve going to pieces, she screamed and fled Into the house. At the chief's next step he found himself confronted by Mary. old woman, eyes ablaze, had enatched up the Iight bench and was brandishing tt wildly. “You lay one Anger on my prectous baby, Mr. Chief,” ghe snarled, like an ery cat, “and I'l brain you with ts Tho men eding, made as though to push past her toward the house She tung the bench straight across their path. And tn their on- ward scramble, they stumbled over it. ‘As they gathered themseves up they saw Mary vanish Into the house ip the wake of June, The chict—yoll- June, fifteen seconds earlier, had fled out upon that balcony and thence down @ lattice to the id. At the very bottom of the lattice Farwell eelzed hor, “1 got her, obtef!" he called up, ex- ‘ultantly. Allen and Mary, descend’ the stairs again, had fust reac! the utes too late to eave the girl he loved. For one wild moment Lamar es dered op the idea of covering b her persecutors with his pistol while June eecaped. But at once he realized the suicidal folly of such an act. No, his one way to help her now waa by his wits. The time for force had He advanced calmly toward 1 up in Se gare, At sight of him Chief Allen shouted: “We've tracked her dowa et inst, Max, my boy. We've”’—— Cast Of! je it? What does ft all meant’ demanded the bewildered ois, Frevie, Gndiog voles, Soy) Cie m6, first w “lt means, madam,” replied the onief, “that this young woman f#n’t your child. She slick crook. The daughter of old ‘Cirole Jim’ Borden, Max!” he added, turning to Lamar. “You've worked hard enough on this cane, You ought to have some kind of reward. I'm going to give you the honor of making the arrest. Go to it, son.” Max Lamar moved to June's side in going te get you out of this tf t' to eet you ou tien cay t ‘dollar and my teat it takes my li breath.” As they passed Mrs. Travis on thetr way to tho atrect June paused and held out her arms. Mrs, Travis re- coiled from her as from @ snake, With bent bead the girl moved ep at her lovers side. The world—her worli—peemed at an end. She ha@ not the power to suffer any more. Her brain and heart and body were numb, She walked as if in her sleep. Next morning as Charles Gordon picked up his newspaper he read, in Dig headlines, that the mysterious “Red Circle lady” was at last cap- tured; that she was @ society girl known as “June Travis,” but that she was really the daughter of “Cirele Jim" Borden, Silas Farwell, so ran the story, brought a charge of grand larceny against her and Mrs, Travis refused to help the girl or to have anything to do with ‘her, June's old nurse Mary had used her own savings to provide bail and bad taken June away with her to a little apartment In the lower part of the city. Gordon read and re-read the story, Then in furious indignation he sprang to bis feet. This was the girl who had saved him from prison! ‘The newspaper account was correct in every detail, Twenty hours earlier June Travis had been one of the most popular girls and one of the richest heiresses in the city, Now, accused of crime and homeless, she found no friend to help her except the old wom- an who had nursed and petted her from babyhood. Max Lamar, it 1s trug hed done alt that a mortal man could do; yet he was but a helpless atom in face of the law's iron power, He had arranged that June's detention should be as brief and as litte humiliating as pos. sible, ‘Then had 8 ed out tor bail. But before he ¢ urn Mary had spirited Now, which June away the iny apa nent to Mary had brought her, the stricken girl sat alone, The nurse had gone out for supplies, And June, in fer equalid Mttle living room, had no companionship but ber own tragic thoughts. Bho was stil] stunned and apathetic from the terrific blows fate b her, She sat her, LYE A Vision, Through a closed emerged a sha lowy leas, Vague something that seemed to gather shape and features as it crept toward her ohatr, Gradually bending down above her, the shape became recognizable, It was a thick-set man, broad of should- toor of the room figure—a forme er, deep of chest. ‘The wraith of a man with leonine head and a shaggy ma f white hair \ rugeed, hopeless f y idered deep, thers On the shadowy + ind that ed out \ nmered & Red Circle. The ghost--if ghost .t was—wag the t of “Circle Jim" “orden! June sat motionless, staring with wide, bewildered eyes, (To Bo Concluded) , a