The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-28
THIRD INSTALLMENT

l his family by killing his son and him.
 self, thus ending the criminal curse of | the Red Circle birthmark. June Ira l wis, girl reformer, tells her nurse Mary
 of the impulse to commit crime. Mary
 sees the Red Circle on the back of
 June's right hand.
 l Mary is overcome but stolidly refuses ] to tell June the terrible secret. | After threatening to ask her mother 1 the meaning of the Red Circle brand, Mary breaks down and confesses. June proves to be the daughter of ] Jim Borden, born in a little mining | town in the west and through peculiar 1 circumstances raised by Mrs. Travis in l the belief that it was her daughter. They promise to keep it secret from Mrs. Travis.
 The old woman eyed the shattered bits with superstitious misgiving. Its an omen!" she muttered, half to herself See what you've done!' "Oh, everythings an omen to you, you sweet old calamity croaker!' laughed June If you spill salt you blind peo- pie by throwing it over your shoulder and missing your aim-you look on a hand mirror simply as something to be dropped to bring seven years disaster-and I'll bet you'd wear your hat inside out if it were possible to-"
 q would not" denied Mary meel1ly. And as I've always said, l think bit of superstition has kept many weak soul out of jail. There's something about breaking a vase, too. LOT, I can remem- Der my father repeating it to us chill dren. He who breaks a vase, they say, lives to rue the-'
 "Nonsense,' ridiculed June, have Yama clean up this mess-there's a dear. And
 
 and watch me disarm the suspicion of MT. I.amar-the great crime specialist!' And laughing at the mortified expres- sion on the old woman's face, the mischief possessed girl darted down the stairway and into the library. q am so glad you came,' she said sim ply as she took Lamars hand. When I asked you I was afraid you never would you're so busy-and so important. Lamar's lips twisted into quizzical smile.
 Busy, Miss Travis. Important mainly to one Max Lamar" Now it's in order for me to say, oh. yes you are. Don't you suppose I read the papers?' And then you'll say, Oh, the papersu with scathing infection Lamar laughed, but someWhow there was not keen enjoyment in the sound that
 came from his lips He disliked sang froid in a woman. In a girl he loathed
  especially when it bordered on personal
 criticism of himself or his work. If you young people will pardon my leaving you for moment Mrs. Travis got up from her chair, "Tn go and hold counsel with my gardener Yama just brought me word that the new shrubs have arrived.
 Lamar arose and bowed deeply as she left the room Out on the porch Yama was moving about quietly, swiftly-ar- ranging the low wicker chairs and strengthening the Indian rugs. June dropped into the chair her mother had just vacated and Lamar sat opposite her.
 "I want you to tell me such lots of things" she began enthusiastically. Your profession must bring day after day of thrills, suspense-tragedy Will you tell me something of criminals as you know them? I've tried to study them just little and"
 There was smothered exclamation; it was in another sound that came from the stairway June looked up just in time to see a portion of a black skirt move from the hall out on to the porch. Then
 followed a low-toned order in Mary's voice-the words broken and vase drifted in through the open window. By a heightened shadow and reflection In the window pane June saw that the nurse
 
 sill.
 It amused the girl. It reminded her of a lioness standing over her cub when the hunter drew near. But this man Lamar was so mild, so perfectly harmless doubtless he was a sleuth of great repu- tation, but under this roof he was merely a courteous man of the world, who called because he was interested in her. "Ill raise the ante" Lamar broke in on her musings-then caught himself T beg your pardon, Miss Travis. I have
 no reason to believe that you are fla
 miliar with poker terms. l meant that I'd bid one hundred times the orthodox amount of 1 cent if you'll tell me what your thoughts were just then. Whatever they were, they were indugent cynical
 and amusing; because your eyes mrrored each one of those moods.' June managed to mock a serious sshud- der.
 You appan me, MT. Lamar" she an | swered laughingly. "I was thinking just | then of the number of criminals you must have met"
 "All kinds; and many of each kind,' he started gravely. And, if you really don't mind talking of such things, I'd like to ask you something. Before we
 met yesterday in the park, Miss Travis did you see anything of yelled woman in black?'
 Outside on the porch chair scraped
 along the floor. June heard the sharp intake of Mary's breath. "A woman in black?" repeated the girl calmly, though every drop of blood in her body was suddenly chilled. "Yes. Just before I met you. woman in bIack-veiled' A mischievous twinkle dawned in the girls eyes. It would be great to lead this man on-this wonderful crime specialist da1i ofn1xr r,to wi I<a hir1 pursue false clues; then just as he thought he was on the right track pull wool over his eyes and set him adrift! She wondered at the crazy impulse. But she had no power to resist it. q believe I did pass such woman, she brought out the words slowly as if unwilling to make the statement positive "Yes, now that I think about it. I'm sure did"