The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-13
SYNOPSIS

SYNOPSIS Max Lamar, Crime Specialist" re- ceives a note from Chief of Police AL len, informing him of the release of Circle" Jim Borden, notorious criminal, and asking him to keep d lookout for the man and his future activities. The name Circle" comes from the hereditary Red Circle" which appears on the right hand of one in | each generation of the Bordens. June Travis and her mother, interested | in the reform of ex-convcts, are awaiting Borden's release Borden refuses their aid and is about to strike the persistent him.
 Travis" answered June, adding: "Oh here is my mother. I want you to meet
 her."
 As Lamar helped the two ladies into their car, few minutes later he had the joy of hearing June say: Wont you come and see us-and tell us more about your work? sputtering some alf-coherent reply, the usually cool-headed man stood staring in foolish happiness after the car. To his own surprise, he found himself trying to recall every infection of June Travis sweet voice, every expression of her big laughter-lit eyes.
 With a start he came to himself He had hastened to the prison to see Circle" Jim Borden released, and to follow him. And-all because of one girl--he had quite forgotten Jims very existence. and had let him get clean away. pretty crime specialist, forsooth! And now to pick up the trail in that dense labyrinth of city--to trace one wild beast among thou Sa ndc of hai Ted Borden was out of a jop. This was no novelty to him. Though he was barely 22 this was the eighth posi- ton he had managed to lose. There were but three things on earth in which the lad felt even a languid interest. These were cigarettes, 10-cent whisky and loaf ing. To acquire the first two, he some times sacrificed the third, by working somewhere for a more or less irregular interval.
 This morning he had come to the fac tory two hours late. little after noon he had secretly lighted a cigarette in the yarnish room. The superintendent had caught him at it. in time to avert blaze and had forthwith discharged him.
 With half weeks pay in his pocket Ted had repaired to the Golden Star saloon, the headquarters of his select crcwd of friends. None of his acquaint- ances were there, so he consoled him. self with his lonely joblessness by seven drinks of horribly bad whisky and had then lured the idle bartender into a craps game
 At the end of an hour Ted had slouched out of the place, penniless; considerably more than half-drunk; and with his last cigarette hanging from one corner or ms month.
 He leaned glumly against the saloon corner, taking account of stock. He was broke, out of work and with no means to buy even a five-cent box of cigarettes. There are a thousand wonderful ways to spend an afternoon off-if one has cash. If one has not, an idle afternoon
 may seem longer than busy year. Ted had had a vague idea of going to the ball game Now that that was out of the question: he presently decided to leaf around to the square in front of the Chronicle office and watch the score Tt was next best to seeing the game. A had next best" but his only alterna- tive
 As he lounged along, in the soft spring sunshine he reviewed his list of acquaint- ances; pondering which one might be in duced to lend him enough money to get through the week. He could not think of any who were likely to show sucE childlike trust in him.
 
 might help him-some of the Hellcat dis trict gang to whom 'Circle" Jim Bor- den's name was one wherewith to con- jure-the gang with whom his father had
 sternly forbidden the boy to associate Ted knew his father was crook. And he had always resented Jims efforts to keep him straight, deemed those pitiful attempts the acme of hypocrisy. His father was due to get out of prison some time soon Then there was certain to be
 enough money for them both-until Cir
 cle' Jims next term
 Ted had reached the square, He paused
 in the outer fringe of the throng that
 watched the baseball bulletins run
 was scored by the home team The crowd
 yelled; Ted joined in the chorus With
 uerfunctory "Attaboy.' The cigarette
 butt dropped from his mouth. He low
 cred his eyes to look for it. His gaze
 fell on the portly meridian of the man
 standing next to him.
 The man was staring ecstatically up-
 ward at the SCOT eboard. His coat was
 open. From the pocket of his jutting
 waistcoat hung a jeweled watchfob. The
 watch itself protruded full half-inch
 above the top of the pocket; being thrust
 out of its nest by the owners strained
 position.
 Teds mouth grew dry and his dull eyes
 brghtened Hot temptation gripped and shook him. The blood of line of Red
 Circle" crooks suddenly boiled up within the lads veins.
 Here, within easy reach of his hand,
 was something that ought to hook for
 enough cash to buy all the cigarettes and
 1O-oent whisky he could consume in a
 month His fingers twitched.
 So intent did his every faculty all at
 once become that he did not hear a man
 come up behind him. halt abruptly and
 murmur his name.
 (Continued Tomorrow.)