The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-01-11
FIRST INSTALLMENT
NEVERMORE!

1 II you Ieel d CIdNillS tO Cdll iliC names" Max Lamar used to say, "call me a horse thief or a mental error or 1 even a dove of peace. But, unless you want to start trouble, don't call me a detective. I'm not a detective. am crime specialist. If you don't believe me, look at my card. Max La | mar, Crime Specialist I didn't go to the expense of getting that engraved, | just for joke.
 "A stage detective goes in for dis guises and flashlights A real life de- tective goes in for square toes and stool pigeons. I don't use any of these frills.
 I'm a specialist. As much of a special ist as the doctor who thumps your chest at $15 a thump." But Max Lamar himself was the only person who did not call Max Lamar detective; yes, and one of the very cleverest detectives the city had known. He had a positive genius for the man hunt. His was the alertly probing brain of the scientist; coupled with the bulldog streak of the ideal police man.
 He had served for years on the citys crack central office detective squad Then, while he was still under 30, he had laid down enough money and laid up enough reputation to leave the force and go into business for him. self
 His first move, as a free agent, had been to drop the abhorred name of detective" and to substitute the less objectionable term of "crime special ist," which now adorned his cards and the glass door of his airy little off, flee.
 In this office sat Lamar, one spring morning, trying to coax sulky cigar into good behavior and, between puffs, dictating a letter to Edith Hayes, his stenOgrapher.
 It was a lazy morning, and Lamar's wonted steel-trap activity had taken on trace of indolence in keeping with the weather and the unexacting day that seemed to lie ahead of him. The home team was playing at the ball. grounds today, and he planned to take
 the afternoon off to witness his first game of the season.
 Therefore" he went on with his dic- tation, q, will take up the matter with you tomorrow, if you can call at my office at 11:30 a. m.-l regret that a pressing business engagement for this afternoon will prevent" A clerk hurried in from the ante room, laid a special delivery letter on | his chiefs desk and vanished again | into his own domain. At sight of the | envelopes handwriting some of the unusual laziness left Lamar's face and manner. At glance down the slngle l official sheet of paper as he ripped l it from the envelope, the very last trace of indolence was gone. hnn crny q | today will lack it's most ardent fan. And
 never mind finishing that letter. I'll have l to get out of here in"-looking at his watch-'in just 20 minutes. I've got to SC
 to prison" | "Mr. Lamar" stammered the girl, stil 1 too new in her employers service to know when he was in earnest.
 Its true" he answered. Listen tc | this.
 l He picked up the note and read aloud; | MT. Max Lamar, Crime Specialist. l My Dear Max: Circle Jim Border
 goes free again at noon today. Since yot
 entered private practice I have no ont 1 familiar with the methods of this master
 crook. Please keep an eye on him. | ''RANDOLPH ALLEN, I "Chief of Police."
 TT don't understand, said the ste lnographer. "If you're in business fol
 
 | giving you orders?"
 He isn't. He's giving me chance.
 chance he knows I'd be willing to pay fol with a couple of my eye teeth. That why he wrote to me. Old Circle Jim ii my quarry I've landed him three time' for the chief. and it looks as if I were going to make it a foursome. Jim can keep out of jail. Because he can't keel out of crime. And he can't keep out O. crime on account of the Red Circle'
 "The Red Circle" she ecoed. "A circl iof anarchists?"
 No A circle of Jim Borden's A cir cle on the back of his right hand. A cir cle he gets his nickname from. A re' birthmark. like hoop or ring, in tn ' flesh of the hand. Sometimes it hardl, shows. Sometimes it blazes an angr. crimson. He"
 But what has birthmark got to d with his being a crimnial?" asked tn
 puzzled girl. q don't see--"
 Neither do I. But it's true. I've hear
 some sort of rigmarole about this birth
 mark running through his family ever 8
 far back, and that whenever 1t appear
 it's sign of a criminal All nonsense
 perhaps. I don't know. But do knoy that old Circle Jim Borden is one of tn
 craftiest, most inveterate criminals in thi
 state And if he's out of prison it mean trouble to the whole community. Tn