Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-04-04
NNTGE!REP.
VCIRGLE

whether there was any one that at
| tracted you 10 her-if-
| Down the stairs came the sleek, patter
OF japanese feet i'm American shoes.
Lamar turned. impatiently, as Yama adj
! vanced TO the center of the room bal
ancing a dust pan and brush in one lean,
/ yellow palm--the other extended with A
bit of charred paper fluttering stiffly,
/ from il. I'm cleaning mp the debris of the
broken vase. he had apparently found on
| the floor this forgotten and damning biz
81 evidence.
Pardon. Nav this oe honorable value
to Miss June he intoned flatly.
\ gentle breeze. floating i'm al the win
dow. caught the ragged edge of the
burned slip and titled it back at a sharn
angle. disclosing a cream white section
upon which words in printed script ana
! a penned signature showed distinctly.
Lamar started. at sight Of the frag-
/ meut. June reached out vaguely, noe
ded. smile, as best she could and tooA
the paper from the buffers hand.
Thank you. Yes. You may GO
With Lamar's eyes upon her il was an
| effort TO say even that.
= As Ysra disappeared through the
doorway. Lamar turned upon her.
What is that he said sharply.
"This?" she inquired family, holding
the paper before her.
Yes. What is it,"
Without waiting for her answer and
before she had a chance TO regain her
shattered Composure. he took the burned
document from her hand and examined
Il carefully.
His Iips twisted at one corner, and
his heavy UPPER lids half-veiled his
eyes as he watched her move. restlessly.
under his scrutiny. The genial caller
mas AL at once changed back into the
man-hupter.
Where did you get ito he asked at
length and his tone implied that con-
viction had taken place of suspicion.
That piece of paper, you mean?" she
fsltered, spaTring for time.
This portion of a burned promissory
note he corrected coldly.
'Why-er-why. the yelled woman in
black dropped that note as she hurried
by me-
Lamar walked up close to her and
looked steadily into her wavering eyes.
Miss Travis" he said gravely, "are
you quite sure of THAR
sure? OF course I'm sure" she was
trying desperately to laugh. why are
YOU making all this fuss over a little
bit of burned paper? You make me
feel all spooky and criminal, myself.
with your solemn face and your horrid
Cross-examining."
She smiled brightly into his hard-set
face-and put an impatient hand on his
arm.
do change the subject. I'm tired of
playing witness. Come-let's talk about
books. music. or'-she reached out to
take the note as she talked to him.
Deity he substituted his other hand
and grasped her suddenly chilled fin
gers: at the same time he slipped the
shred of paper into his side pocket.
wen have plenty of time to talk
about books and music--some other
time, Miss Travis Just now I'm in
tensely interested in yelled women in
black. who drop charred pieces of brok-
ers notes as they hurry along the
lstreet. I know you would enjoy being
Of us in fathoming this mysterious case.
Would YOU mind showing me just where
you saw this woman in black
June laughed easily.
why, of course. won't mind. Mr..
Lamar. You're making this trifling in
cident such a frishtfully serious affair."
that il rather amuses me. Do detectives
II beg your pardon-do crime special
lists always have to fasten on such silly
things TO track their criminals
Lamar ignored the sarcasm.
''G'l1 be ready to go out with you in
two minutes" she promised. running
lightly up the stairs.
4 black figure moved quickly across
the porch and entered at a small side
door Lamar darted to the window too
late to see more than its shadow. With
the note still in his hand, he walked
few feet toward the stairs and stood
looking up. his brows contracted. his
eyes narrowed.
Upstairs in the boudoir. June
dragged a hat from its box and stood
before the mirror swinging it on her
hand There was A curious buZzing
sound in her ears and things didn't
look sharp and clear cut to her eyes.
Even her own image I'm the mirror had
foggy outlines.
Automatically she placed her hat upon
her head and fastening the pins secure
": then reached for ner furs and gloves.
She was striving with all her young
strength to down the hysteria that was
rising in her breast and to loosen the
panicky tightness in her throat
As she turned to leave the room.
Mary. breathless and shaking with ter
ror. hurried through the door ana
threw her arms about her
You shan't co. she declared pas
SionateIy MY precious. my lamb-you
shan't be led to the slaughter. He sus-
pected YOU. He has from the first. He
came TO spy. not TO visit you. Don
60. dearie-don't GO"
II have brought il on myself June
answered duly. 1--WE got to go. With
his suspicion aroused, don't you see It's
the only thing left to do?"
She leaned YEARLY against the old
woman, gripping her arm for support
I'm be able to turn his suspicion
aside don't know him-but I'll do It,
oh. I'm so tired"'
Just for a moment she weakened and
placed her head on Mary's shoulder.
She had always felt secure that way
as far back as her memory went Even
now. woman grown, she found
strange sense of solace, resting there.
4 stifed exclamation from the nurse
broke into her dream of rest. Startled
she raised her head Marys eyes were
looking down at something. Stark fear
was written in them. June followed her
line of vision.
She saw a black sleeve tightly
gripped by a white hand in which a
vivid circle of blazing red had suddenly
been reborn. Mortified, she traced the
flaming mark with trembling fore
finger.
Then the tension snapped and she
sank to the floor, a whimpering helpless
girl. with both hands pressed to her
lips to muffie her frightened sobbing.
Besides herself with dread and pity,
I'M