Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-31
OF eiS e;


I Jim Borden had leaped into the room
! with his heart all bursting with love
/ and pride and he found his wife dead
| before him. lying near the baby in the
! grip. and. looking over he saw the Other
\ woman on the bed with her baby be
/ side her. He took the baby he thought
( was his own and went away-where
lio orre knew-and | never found out
/ till too late
I FOR a moment there was silence
more compelling than sound. Sudden
3 IN, ninging her arms wide. June cried
| nysiericaiiy:
What does it mean? Don't stop
there Go on! Go on. What are you
! trying to make me believer
Il did as l thought best at the time,
| Mary went on tOnelessly, weary in heart
and body from the purgatory ordeal
MIR. Travis was dead. When Mrs
| Travis came to, what could 1 tell her
A baby was there. No one but me knew
| it wasn't hers. l never told. She didn't
know-she doesn't know-no one
! knows"
And IL am June gasped out the
/ the words.
| Mary looked steadily into her terrific
| eyes and gripped her hands firmly.
ION the back of Jim Borden's right
hand she said heavily, there was a
queer Red Circle-they called him Cir
( Gle Jim out there. Just as later
they"
No! No! 1 don't believe tim
not, I'm not" June crumpled into a
sobbing heap at Mary's feet.
Very gently the old woman lifted her
and held her close:
You are Jim Borden's daughter" she
declared, with a solemnity that brooked
no dispute Marked with the crime
curse. But We must guard the secret
she must never know"
She motioned vaguely toward the
house. With great fear and hesitation
June raised her eyes. They fell on the
stately home, the beautiful grounds-all
\ that she had felt, up to now was hel
/ legitimate portion i'm life. An impostor'
Low born, Stigmatized for life with
/ the Red Circle of crime! 1t was toe
horrible-too unreal, II numbed her
very soul.
She chung te the arm of the Older
woman with a hopelessness and despair
that was pitiful and allowed herself to
be led up the path toward the house.
Were going to keep the. secret, aren't
we, -lamb?" Mary was saying. Nobody
knows-nobody will ever need to know
And then
/ Look June broke in with great agi-
tation. THAT man standing on tht
walk, staring up at the house"
AIary's eyes followed her pointing fin
ger. she saw a tall, slender young man
in well-cut clothes, scanning the hori
zon, as if uncertain that he had reached
his destination.
/ who is hep" asked the nurse quietly
alarmed at the girls trepidation
ITS Max Lamar-the crime special
list?'
A detective! On, my precious-a de-
tectiYe,'
mo" Junes lips curled slightly, mot
a detective, Mary-a crime specialist
there is a great difference between the
two, you know He says so, himself.
"There amt any difference, lamb
when they're after you!. And it's you
he's after--he's found out-he's found
you OUT
'Hush.' June commanded, placing her
hand over the old woman's mouth. HE
couldn't have found out-he's coming to
see me. I asked him to the other day
at the prison. We're imaging things
you and both of us-and it isn't
good to do that. Come with me-"
Selling her hand June dragged mel
over the lawn toward the side porch. In
spite of her attempted bravado she felt
trapped Trapped How ridiculous
There wasn't a single clue. Still, heI
/ heart and her lips were dry and stiff
| Surely crime was its own punishment
if guilt always carried in its wake such
agony as this.
Running up the steps on to the side
porch June entered the library through
the open French window, leaving Mary
loutside. Her mother was still sitting
i in the arm chair. Her paper had sliC
| from her fingers to her lap. June saw
by the regular rise and fail of hel
shoulders that she had fallen into a
doze.
Just for a second she raltered; ther
throwing back her head, as If defiantly
freeing Il from an irlisome yoke, she
walked down toward the sleeping WON
an and dropped a light kiss on he1
cheek.
Mrs. Travis woke with start. Watch
| ing from the. doorway, Mary marveled
at the girls actions. She was posi-
lively mischievous. And only moment
before, i'm The garden, the terror of q
life tragedy had lived in her eyes.
i Get yourself together, mumsie,
she heard June say gayly, someone is
lccming TO see us-to see me-" she en-
lphasized. do you remember Mr.. Lamar
the crime specialist that we met al
the prison? He's coming up the walk
now. Will you tell him I'll be dowr
in minute?"
She ran toward the stairway, just as
the front door bell buzzed; and Yama
| the SNUG, pale bronze little Jap butler