Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-07-21
.!CiRseEHEE

aration for her flight
As 5 o'clock struck. the trunks and
suitcases were at last ready. Mary and
June tensely awaited the coming Of Cor
I don and Lamar.
! I'm going to the front ROOM" said
Mary, "and try TO get a glimpse of them.
do hope they haven't made botch of
tying up that police fellow out there
the nasty spy
June, left alone, looked around to sec
IL anything had been forgotten in the
haste of packing. And, as the scrutiny
ended, she CHANGED to notice the Red
Circle pulsing on her hand. She gazed
ut it in a new horror. And, as she look
| ed, the wild citation began 90 ebb from
her brain.
He said" she murmured, half aloud.
/ He said-my-my father said-I could
wipe out the curse. by will power He
said 1 could conquer-and l shall.
Long she stood there, her eyes fixed
on her hanback,.
Il can conquer, by will power. And'
God helping me. shall!'
Presently, the conflict ceased, as sud
denly as it had begun. The beautiful
face was calm Alphabetically pale, out
illumined by a new strength it had never
before known. she looked at her hand.
The Red Circle had vanished; never
again TO return.
Gordon; with Mary at their heels
I'VE got him. cried Lamar. We
got him, June! We slipped up on him
from behind. just as we'd arranged. He's
tied and gagged: and he's strapped, hand
and foot, TO a telegraph pole in the
darkest part of the alley. Are you ready
sweetheart? We've no time to waste
Thank you. Max" she said. gently.
| Thank you, both, from the bottom Of
nv heart, for all you've done and all
you've risked for me tonight. But
There's no time for thanks, Miss Ira
Wis" interrupted Gordon. And We
don't ask for thanks, either of us. Hur-
~. We must be of, before"
Il am not gOing!" said June, very qui-
city, yet her face gloriied by a new
/ light from within.
"What?" cried Lamar Not going
But
IT am going to stay here" she made
smiling answer, land face my trial.
| Three months later, the most seansa-
tional criminal trial in the history Of
the city began-the trial of June Travis
on the Red Circle charges.
Both Lamar and Gordon had moved
heaven and earth in her behalf. But
the ugly fact of her guilt remained I'M
shaken. Max had besought her to marry
him before the trial and to face the or
deal as his wife. But very gently she
ha6 put aside the offer.
IF ever L come to you, DEAR" she had
said, 'it must be with clean hands and
without stain upon my heart. Not TIL
II can be certain the Red Circle has gone
forever will marry you," she had an
swered. When 1 am sure OF that-per-
fectly sure Of it-then shall come to
YOU"
| Gordon, from the very opening OF the
trial struggled with every atom Of brain
and body to bolster up hopeless case.
| He warred against overwhelming odds
and never yielded a single step without
fierce opposition.
Yet the trials result was foregone
conclusion.
| on the very last day of the trial, Mrs.
Travis created a painful scene by rush
ing into court and throwing her arms
around June; weeping declaring herself
a wicked old woman for having turned
/ her back on the girl; and vowtng that
never again would she forsake her.
Mrs. Travis cher family pride and re-
sentiment swept away by sudden I'M
pulse of love toward the stricken girl
She had abandoned) held June close
PRESSED to ner heart and cried out sob
bingly to the Judge:
"She is mine! She is my own little
4 girl. And you shan't send her to
prison."
The fury was out less than half an
hour and returned grimly TO the box
with the unanimous verdict OF
guilty.
/ June did not finch as she heard the
word; the most terrible word in all our
Language. The same strange light that
had come into her face on the night when
she had refused to escape, still glowed
there. Calm. unafraid. she listened to
the verdict.
! with the same cslmness. she rose and
stood facing the judge, TO receive her
tsCntence.
The Judge was an old man. He had
/ known June from babyhood. He had
been a close friend of Mrs. Travis
| husband, in the early days; and was
/ still a constant visitor at the Travis
/ home June pitied him for the grim
| task that was now his.
Prisoner at the bar" said the
Judge. his deep voice untinged by any
/ emotion. "a jury of your peers has
/ found you guilty on every count OF
the various indictments against you
| II is a Just verdict In view Of the
| evidence, II was the only verdict the
Jury could honestly have agreed upon
''My own duty is equally clear" he
went on. The law. through its admin