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

Jim Borden, crook, tries to wipe out his family by killing his son and then him. self, thus ending the criminal curse of the Red Circle birthmark. But the Red Circle appears on the hand of June Trav- is, wealthy girl reformer, and she robs a loan shark to aid poor debtors. 1t develops that June is Jim Borden's daugh- ter Mary, June's old nurse, is trying to divert the suspicious of Detective Lamar, finds herself in precarious situation.
 She had donned June's coat and Lamar seeing the familiar. black, pursues ana corners her in a garage, her coat having caught in the door.
 sort, on downtown street. To the very admiring clerk who strutted forth from the back of the store to welcome her, she said:
 My brother is to leave the hospital to- day. He is recovering from smallpox Don't be frightened. I haven't been near him. He has just telephoned me that they destroyed all his clothes, to prevent infection And he wants me to buy him new outfit
 'Yes, ma'am' acquiesced the clerk Certainly, ma am. What size, please?"
 "He's-hes perfect thirty-six, she fal- tered, taken aback at the query she had not expected.
 "A perfect thirty-six?" repeated the clerk, amused. That is a way of de- scribng women's clothes, isn't it? Do you mean he has a thirty-six chest?'
 Yes" she answered hastily. "Of course. Yes. That's what I meant. How stupid of me!'
 Not at all. Not at all,'' said the clerk, gallanty. "Thirty-six chest. What arm length?"
 "Oh-the-the average arm length, I think" fioundered June, 'and-and a 22- inch cor-vest, I mean.
 The clerk looked puzzled .
 "Thirty-six inch coat and 22-inch vest?''' he mumbled. 'I guess he must a been stringin' you, miss.'
 Well, I'm sure about the chest measureJ anyhow" declared the poor girl. "Get vest to go with a coat that size, please'
 "Cert'nly,' agreed the clerk, quite dizzy from the dazzling yet helpless smile she squandered on him. and-er-trous- ers?'' >
 "Oh, any kind of trousers that-that go with 22-inch cor-I-I mean a 36-inch coat. Any kind at all that go with that sort of coat
 What's his waist measure?" asked the clerk. :
 "Twenty--I don't know" confessed June.
 
 Five feet six and half" she said promptly.
 ''H'm!' unused the clerk. "I'll make a guess at it. Before we go to the gents clothing department, how about other things for him? Hat?'
 "Yes. A hat. Of course"
 What size?'
 TT don't yes, do, too. wear one of his caps when l go fishing. Get cap f ba " mo hp riA size for him. golf cap Not hat"
 "Shoes?'
 "Yes. A pair of shoes. Mems shoes, you know
 Do you know the size your brother wears?'
 Three A she replied. |
 ''Three A!' he gasped. 'Three A shoes with thirty-sX chest, and five feet and a half tall Say. ma'am, what sort of chap is this brother of yours, anyhow"
 Her suddenly frigid glance froze him into respect once more. Weekly he changed the subject by inquiring:
 How about underclothes for himo"
 Nor disclaimed June, on the verge of tears
 Lamar, meantime, swept like a whlrl-, wind into the private office of Chief of Police Allen.
 Got herr' he announced. "At least I've got hold of one end of the chain. and she's clamped fast to the other end. Here's her coat, The Yelled Woman'o big black coat I'll tell you later how I got it. Can't some of your born idiots. chase around to all the tailor shops in a rush and find who it was made for? If they find that they'll find the Yelled Woman. And then the Red Circle will stop being mystery; and maybe I can blow myself to decent nights sleep"
 The chief looked at lis watch.
 Inside of half an hour" he said "every first-class store and tailor shop in town will be shut for the night. And this coat came from a first-class place. Anyone can see that. We'll have to wait till tomorrow morning. Here'' to his secretary. "Tell the detective department to get busy on that tomorrow. First thing. Handle it carefully. It's all gaso- line and grease. Now. then. Max my boy, let's hear the story
 ff'
 June, coming out from the mems out fitting shop, carried big and awkward bundle that she had refused to allow the obsequious clerk to send home for her. Her next visit was to theatrical wig maker. few minutes later she emerged. with a second and smaller package. got into the limousine and went home
 Yama, at the door of the Travis house. sprang forward to relieve her of the two
  bulky parcels. But she curtly refused to let him take the bundles The Jap butler had already caused her enough trouble for one day, and she had a super stitutious feeling about letting him ham dle these mysterious treasures she had brought home
 June went straight to her bedroom and dropped the parcels on a chair Thence she went into her sitting room--to find Mary waiting for her.
 At sight of the loyal old woman the girl rushed up to her and caught Mary close to her breast
 You dear! she exclaimed, in fearful gratitude. You dear! You splendid old dear! It was wonderful of you! Won derful! Oh, there aren't any words to thank YOU. I, never dreamed it was YOU, until <I saw that miserable coat stuck in the garage door, Why,- you might have been arrested and all sorts of terrible khings!"