Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-06-30
CONTINUED from Last Issue-)

OWE your. she breathed. why,
Max, 1 didn't think there was
anything on earth so strong as
TINS love of mine for you. 1 do love
you. You know 1 do. 1 love you too
much to be your wife. 1 can't marry
you with this black faint on my life
with this vile Red Circle burning on my
hand"
But June!" he pleaded. I'VE will fight
it together. We"
81 must fight it alone" she answered
with sad f1rmness. "All alone, Max. If
/ loved you less, l might let you share
the burden. But l won't let it crush
you-as it is crushing me. 1 won't marry
you. Not because 1 don't care enough,
but because 1 care a million times too
much"
You care!" he cried THAT is the only
thing that matters. For the sake of
your love, I'd gladly saddle myself with
a far more terrible curse than the Red
Circle. Marry me- and"
mo, dear" she whispered. at must
be no. Now and always. 1 understand
that now. For a moment didn't. But
that was because 1 didn't reaiize how
much l loved you. And now I want to
go. please; while 1 am still strong
enough to help you save yourself. Go.
dear"
mol" he denied, doggedly.
BEST go. Mr.. Lamar" advised Mary.
gliding forward into the room and slip
ping her arm around June's heaving
shoulders. BEST go now. She is right.
She knows. And, anyway, you'll gain
nothing by staying. Give her time to
think"
~ 1oo,,os fror, ora ,,voy,,op m the
other in puzzled irresolution. Then
IT will CO." he said briefly. "but I'm
coming back And I'm going to keep on
coming back until 1 get the answer
want"
Smiling Sam" Eagan opened one eye.
Then, very cautiously, he opened the
other. Nothing happened. He had had
an idea the sky was going to fall on
him. He lay blinking up at a white cell
ing-a ceiling much cleaner than that
Of any other room he could remember.
And he began to think. Just at first
this was ont an easy feat. For the blow
with which Lamar had knocked him
senseless had so completely deadened
his brain that Sam had not come to him
self until nearly an hour after he had
heen carried tC the nearest. hospital and
rad been dumped down on a cot there.
Now. with much difficulty, he began
to collect his scattered wits.
lie remembered hiding in the attic of
the Travis house. He remembered hear
ng Lamar's voice in the hallway below
talking with June. He remembered
creeping down the attic stairs, knife in
nand. He remembered springing at La
mars back and that June had thrust the
crime specialist aside out of the way of
the descending blade. Then-there had
oeen a scrimmage of some sort.
But at that point memory halted. And
imagination had to piece out the rest OF
the story.
How had Lamar happened to be in the
Travis house and on his way TO the at
.ic? Eagan answered the question for
himself in his own crook fashion. The
sirl had evidently 'squealed'-had told
Lamar of Sans presence in the house.
Straightway Eagan's hatred for the
rhine specialist included a fierce hate
for June Travis as we'll She had be-
iayed him to the police? Well, there
,ras an easy way for him to pay off
Ihat score.
Painfully Eagan lifted his splittingly
lching head from the pillow and glared
lIcund the ward. In the doorway stood
nurse Chatting with her was one of
he policemen who had carried Eagan to
me hospital and who had remained to-
;et a report on the disabled prisoners
condition.
Sam feebly beckoned to the nurse. She