The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-18
SYNOPSIS

Lamar escapes death at the hands 1 the fanatical Borden by the timely ar <, rival of the police. Borden kills himsel8t The gas has axphyxiated the son. Think z ing that the ircle-branded family is ex 0 tinct, Lamar is surprised to see the Re a Circle on the hands of woman in swiftly passing automobile. He manaSeN to get the license number. tE- Grant, notorious loan shark, is i'e' s. in his vault and batch of valuable ge- are stolen. nd Neatness was one of George Grant hobbies. His desk was always kept in ap , ple-pie order. But, his very first glanc 2 now revealed that it was in a conditio that would have shamed his most tnconi 1 petent clerk t Papers were scattered in every direction and drawers and pgeonholes were open-W and empty Feverishly, Grant looked from pigeonhole to pigeonhole.
 Every last one of them had been ran sacked; and every document had been stolen from them.
 Cleaned out!'' croaked Grant, dazedly. Robbed! Twelve been robbed''
 Then the numbed brain reawoke. These stolen documents were the promissory notes, the drafts, etc., that gave him his limitless power over an army of debtors. Without such evidence he had no legal hold over the poor wretches who had SC long been in his power. He could not coll uect one penny from them That is, not if they should learn of his loss. sa The yell of horror had summoned llsl employees. They still stood crowdng II doorway; not daring to advance nor | E ask what was the matter; yet tensely GU \ rious to know what had happened. IA f sight of their questioning faces Gra1 fought to gain some sort of control owe himself Which of you has been in this room is the last half hour?" he asked, as uncon- cernedly as he could force his dry throat to voice the query.
 For a moment no one answered. Then. Saals timidly volunteered:
 T was in here, sir, about 20 minutes ago. Maybe 25 minutes or--'
 What in blazes were you doing in here?"
 T just stepped inside the door, sir.,'' quavered Saals, ito show in the lady"
 The lady?'' snapped Grant, What lady?"
 Why, why, the lady who had the ap- pointment with you sir She said she'd met you in the hall and you'd told her 10 wait in your own office. She-''
 T haven't met any woman in the hallv denied Grant, "and didn't tell anyone to wait here for me. What was her name?'
 "She-she didn't say, sir supposed--,' Young or old?' demanded Grant I-I don't know, sir. She-,
 You wall-eyed idiot!' fired Grant. "d' ye mean to tell me yo, Haven't sensei enough to know whetr ( a womau. young or old?'' at
 Not when she's all swathed up ay heavy black veil, like that lady, sir,T swered Saals and with big. py- black coat that hides her figure" ph'
 A yelled woman-in my private oea- Where did she go? Where is she?'5Smy
 don't know, sir. I didn't-'. rass
 II seen her, MT. Grant" shrilled 54a 5aa. nee boy I didn't see her come in ySsy' seen her go out. Bout five minutesHes 1t Was. She had a bunch of papers, was carryin. They were strapped a setner With one of them long rubber bands, like you keep on your desk. thought maybe she--'' Graht waited to hear no more Snatchi ing ms hat, he sprinted for the street. f | ae had ieft his automobile at the | Tn Iront of his office. Followed by Sa { { ne now ran across the sidewalk ito hlnself into the cars depths Y G
 TO police headquartersi Rush V ne intended to shout to his chauf \ trembling on his thin lips But was not to be given IN
 Haif way across the pavemer AA there. Neither was the chauffe, " ~
 George Grant turned in ra the buildings special policem f, was standing in front of the
 Blake" he demanded, .'wl oiazes IS my car? I told G. stay here till I came out move him on?"
 "Me?" said the policeman. deed. Someone else did, thou. i've minutes back wona,
 "A woman?" veil" any
 "The-the Yelled Woman" babb. Grant, aghast. Yes. Yelled woman all riaSl
 And you mean to tell me she ns t Garvice take her away in my caA How'd she do it?"
 T don't know. First I noticed sA just Finishing speaking to him and I M neld open the door for her to gsN "poaro' Ihen they started off, yI
 GIant did not wait to hear the ee ef of the account He summoned a paA Ing taxi and tumbled aboard tI5
 Police headquartersl" he co,a
 Chief of Police Allen was alw, < glad to see his former subord, I
 
 had been close friends. So it M lS With nod of real welcome and a word of greeting that he hailed gt as the latter came excitedly intr s& M office at about the time George EsB4 was boarding the taxicab. &WI
 Whats up. Max?' asked the e. & noting his friends unwonted h; and perturbation. Someone been sulting you again by calling you a.S% tective instead of crime specialist Or
 "Everything's up,' put in Lain [ The Red Circle, among other things 1
 'The Red Circle?" echoed Alle1 E Why, man. the Red Circles wipe A off the books. for keeps" H
 Not is It 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" 1sl Il "A woman? What womanc' N T don't know tI