The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-02-12

and Mary are waiting Tor me IT thS car, outside there. Good-by, sam good-by. Mir. Lamar"
 But Max would not be dismissed in this fashion. He insisted on going to the car with her. and, on the way, ne managed to angle successfully for an invitation to call on her at the Surtton cottage.
 After which he stared at the auto mobile until it bore her out of sight Then he wandered on down the street. planning busily-not for the solving or the Red Circle mystery, but to dis cover some way of arranging his work so as to leave him an entire after noon and evening free for a run to Surfton- by-the-Sea-
 Sam Eagan and the mysteriously rat ting shoe were quite wiped from his mind.
 Sam. meantime. his professionally ge- nial smile glued to his red face, was looking down at the $25 June had so generously forced upon him. But, though his eyes were fixed on the money in his hand, his mind. was not Twenty-Five dollars. just at present. seemed to Smiling Sam pitifully small sum. For he had sudden visions of an Infinitely larger amount. Visions so 1 bright as to take away. for the moment even the memory of his narrow escape from exposure in the matter of the hollow-heeied shoe. mighty inspira- tion was gripping Sam Eagan; an in- l spiration born of his talk with Lamar.
 After moment of thought he nodded ! his head, stuck the money into his pocket and locked the door of his shop. Then he went to the secret door among the shoe shelves and opened it. Passing into the hidden room he crossed to where the dog -eared old calendar dung on the wall.
 Lifting this calendar, he disclosed a cupboard behind it. Reaching into this, he pulled forth a telephone. took the receiver from the hook and called for a number.
 Miss La Sales apartment?" he asked presently; then: That you, Alma? l-sam-Come around here in a rush. There's something big. Hurry up" Eagan returned to the shop, put on his coat and went out into the neigh borhood to do little shopping. If the things he bought were not of the sort a cobbler usually buys there was no one to comment on his odd taste. Back home he came. and through to | the hidden room; there depositing his purchases in the telephone cupboard regained the front shop when a woman 1 entered.
 | From her present dress and bearing the visitor might have been well clad shopgirl, or a rather superior 1ady's maid. The kind who could be par II ' patronizng a third-rate shoemaker | Alma La Sale was perhaps 25, per haps little older. She was of me dium height; wiry, dark and inclining | 10 sallowness. Nevertheless she was decidedly pretty and she had the fac 1 ulty of fitting herself to any needful role, from socidety girl to factory hand l A clever actress, clever thief; in fact, one of the best pickpockets and crowd workers" in the state. I trfya a111a Ia of revenue to Sam. And, apart from her uncanny deftness at robbery. he knew he could always count her wit and daring to carry out any campaign he might devise. Hello, kid" was his greeting, this morning You didn't waste any time. That's right. You got train to catch and some fancy packing to do, first"
 Train to catch?" she repeated ea- gerly.
 ITO Surfton- by -the-Sea. There's big 1 ball at the Surfton hotel tonight. Our
 man there tipped me to it. You're going to operate at the ball" ''But-"
 Its a new angle we're going to work from, on this" he pursued. There ought l to be a pot of cash in it. Ever hear of the Red Circle?"
 "of course" she made answer. "who hasn't?"
 The central office crowd and Max La mar and everybody else are daffy just now about it. They've got all the cops | in town rubbering for that Circle on folks hands,"
 Swell chance they have of finding itl'
 laughed Alma. Jim Borden's dead,
 and"
 Il And there's man and woman work
 ing this city, both of 'em with that circle on their hands" returned Eagan. "No, Why how can" T don't know. And I'm not wasting sleep wondering about it. But do know
 how we can work it for a big lot of cash.''
 How? I don't see-''
 You aren't supposed to. I'm the one l who does the seeing for this outfit. All you've got to do is to obey orders. You're | going to operate at the Surfton hotel ball tonight. And you're going to have l the Red Circle on the back of your right hand And---''
 And be nabbed by the hotel detective or the first fly cop that's looking for a record!' broke in Alma indignantly. NO, thanks. friend I'm not
 You're mistaken, kid" gently correct- ed Eagan. You are. And it's going to be your safety. You'll run no more risk of arrest than if you was the original in
 visible man"
 "But, Sam!" she protested what crazy | idiocy are you talking? I haven't got the | Fed Circle on my hand Only people in the Borden family had it. I'm no kin of Jim Borden. I haven't the Circle. So---''
 "So you'll have it for tonight finished Sam. I'm going to give it to you, Come in here"
 He led the way through to the hidden room Alma following in bewiderment. Opening the cupboard he took out the sev- eIal articles he had just bought. They | were a little box of water colors. a camel hair brush, sponge and a phial ] of colorless liquid.
 Give me your hand he ordered. "rhe right one'
 l Wonderingly Alma obeyed. AIostening the brush and rubbing it on the red paint cake, Sam proceeded to trace on the back of the womans hand an irregular Red Circle.
 Watch that closely" he warned.
 That's just the shape of the one Bor-
 den had Do you think you could paint
 that on your own hand?'
 Why, yes, but
 He dipped the sponge in the liquid from
 the phial and passed it over the circle. The paint quickly vanished
 There you are' said he. "Go to the ball. Pinch everything you get half chance at. Then sneak into some quiet corner and paint that circle on your hand. Manage to let the house detective or some of the guests get a glimpse of it. Then rub it off. When the yell goes up
 that lot of boobs have been robbed the Red Circle will be sure to get the
 blame for it. It's likely every woman's
 hand may be examined Yours will have