Charlevoix county herald., 1916-10-06
AUTHOR OF THE FIGHTER" CALEB CON-
OVER" SYRIA FROM THE SADDLE" ETC.
NOVELIZED FROM PATEE PHOTO PLAY OF
HE SAME NAME BIZ WILL III. RITCHEY
COPYRIGHT 1918 ~ ALBLRI PArsoN TteHuhtJ

BuJ, suddenly, as III the CnalI were up
holsiered with hOrnet-stings. he lcapcd
to his feet again, with a yell that
brought his employees in the outer
Offices crowding wonderingly TO the
door.
Papers were scattered in every di-
rection; and drawers and pigoonholos
were open-and empty, Fcyerishly,
Grant looked from pigconho!e to pig
eonhole
Every last one of them had been
ransacked; and every document had
been stolen from them!
Cleaned OUT" croakod Grant, daz-
eddy. Robbed! I'ye-l'yo been
robbed"
which of you has been i'm this room
in the last half hour he asked, as
unconcernedly as ne could force his
dry throat to voice the query.
For a moment no one answered.
Then Saals timidly volunteered:
Il was in here, sir, about twenty
minutes ago. Maybe twenty-five min
utes or"
What in blazes were you doing in
here?"
Il just stepped inside the door, sir"
quavcred Saals. ito show in the lady
The LADY," snapped Grant, What
LADY,"
Why, why, the lady who had the
appointment with you, sir. She said
she'd met you in the hall and you'd
told her to wait in your own Office.
She
Il haven't met any woman in the
hall" denied Grant, and didn't tell
anyone to wait here for me. What
was her nance"
"she-she didn't say, sir. sup
posed"
Young or old?" demanded Grant.
II don't know, sir. She
You walleyed IDIOT" roared Grant,
ID We mean to tell me you haven't
sense enough to know whether wom-
an is young or old?'
Not when she's all swathed up in
heavy black veil, like that lady, sir,
answered Saals. and with a big,
loose, black coat that hides her fig
ure."
Il seen her Mr.. Grant" shrillod the
Office boy. 81 didn't soc her come in.
But | seen her go out. Iout five min
utes ago, it was. She had bunch of
papers she was carryin."
Grant waited to hear no more.
Snatching his hat, he sprinted for the
street.
He had left his automobile at the
curb in front Of his Office
Half way across the pavement Grant
halted mouth ajar The car was not
there Neither was the chauffeur.
George Grant turned in rage upon
the buildings special policeman who
was standing in front of the entrance.
Blake he demanded. where in
blazcs is my car? l told Garyice to
stay here till l came out. Did you
move him on?"
Me-" said the policeman. NO,
indeed Someone else did though
Bout five minutes back. a woman"
"A woman?"
In long black coat and back
veil"
He summoned a passing taxi and
tumbled aboard.
Police headquarters" he com
manded
Chief of Police Allen was always
glad TO see his former subordinate,
Max Lamar For a decade the TWO
had been close friends. SO il was
NIT y. oil of, ;,1I
word of greeting that he hailed Max,
as the latter came excitcdE into his
Office at about the time George Grant
was boarding the taxicab.
What's up, MAXI" asked the chief
noting his friends unwonted haste
and perturbation.
"Eyerything's up" put in Lamar
The Red Circle, among other things"
The Red Circle" echoed Allen
"Why, man, the Red Circles wiped
off the books, for keeps
Not is 1t was It's back again"
What are you talking about Cir
Gle jim Borden's dead. So is his son.
Who else is left?'
"A woman"
"A woman? What woman?"
Il don't know"
Jim left no daughter. His wife
died years ago. You're dreaming
You've worked on this Red Circle
game so long, you're daffy over it,
Am p" retorted Lamar. Ten min
utes ago saw the Red Circle. Saw it
as plain as ! see you. A woman was
sitting in limousine Her right hand
was resting on the window ledge And
she'd taken off her glove. There, on
the back OF her hand was the Red
Circle. Before ! could look any closer
the car had speeded up and chugged
out OF sight. ! took its number just
as 1t disappeared in a little hurricane
OF gasoline smoke and yellow dust.
Let me look over your state auto
license numbers"
Here you are said Allen, proiuc-
ing the book.
Unceremoniously a man pushed his
way past the doorkeeper and into the
hallowpd room of the chief of notice