The Washington times., 1910-12-03
THREE KEYS
By FREDERIC ORMOND



"CarIotta, CarlOttar' Trevor ex-
claimed. 1t is the name Of one of my
daughters-it is Carla-s name. It was
was It your mothers name2''
Il do not know" C5arita answered.
The fnancier sat staring at the pic
ture he neld in his hand For the mo-
ment ne was utterly obivious to every
thing else around him. and Morris, rais-
ing mis- eyes, regarded the old man sadly
and steadily.
Have you anything else that be-
lOnged to your mot herr asked Trevor,
presently. Is there anything else that
vas hers that you would care TO show
i think not. senor." the girl said.
But STAY" she added There is one
thing more that was hers. as I have
been told. You win think that It is a
very strange thing % exhibit I Go not
know why X was 1ven 10 NE as a
keepse ks, only that when Senor Llor-
ente. in whose Is u-sly / resided while in
Mexico. gaze IL 10 me. he said You
VIII take this with you also, Rita. If
your father Is living and you should
meet him he viii wish 10 see it AT
this announcement LathTOp looked up
in surprise. and, perceiXing It. she COZ
tinued: I do not think that Morris
even knows about this keepsake I have
never told him. because ] had forgotten
lie shall see Il now at the same time
tFrf I show Il TO you Is IS not pleas
ans il is not nice II Is a very strange
thing TO give 10 child Is a keepsake,
and have kent II hidden in my trunk
I VIII get IT, You viii excuse me7-'
-gaiU she left the room. ana again
Trevor's eyes wandered IN the direction
u the Young man But he did not
=Ueak and their eyes did not meet, for
T4thrOp was once more apparently ab-
=r-'re7 I'm TIE ~ Ees Of the A0ol
C7arita was some tire absent, but at
list she returned Her hands We're be-
her guest before she exposed them
Then. bringing them suddenly forward,
she said simply
IT iS-thfs---
George Trevor. who bad risen at her
entrance. stood Ike one entranced.
Catalepsy could not have held him more
rigidlv stiu than he was then, with
gyide-Oreu, distended eyes drawn and
harEsr I'd features, parted iiDs and bated
breath.
~ last. slowly mechanically. lie ex-
tened one hand snd took the Thing she
held out TO hlU-a double sheath made
90 ore piece cf wood SIyiIlfUIIv carved
and Inl2jG with gold and silver and
precious stones He did not speak He
held Il in his hand and started al Il as
though Il were q serpent thaJ had fas-
cinated him
1T IS not pretty she continued, not
needing his perturbation 1T Is deadly
I do not admire It"
Slowly. and with familiar precision.
Trevor stretched forth the other hand
am Withdrew the knives from their
Sheatbs, one after the other Il was as
though he were forced TO Go so against
his viii Eje seemed TO have forgotten
his surroundlngS. to see only those Two
C1g-iOZISly 1rCCEhr Weapons that he now
held IN his eraST-one, short, dagger
Ike instrument SrarDened only on one
side, Uul keen as a razor and pointed
Ike a needle the other long, slender.
deadly. VenOmouS in every curve, gilt
terinClv bright, sinister. u1urderOus- Il
Elinted flashes Of Iight from its DOl-
ished surface, and the tiny, graceful!
curves along its back seemed to move
UV and down, rs though possessed Of
Ele and hatred
Trevor was so long silent That at
last Rita looked up. inQuirlngly- As
she beheId his face she started back
Morris she called. in a ramc OF
The young man sprang % her at
sound Of the terror IN her voice
Look" she whispered. pointing
toward the old man-nOw old indeed
What is it2 What IS the natfer2
Seet Quick Ny God. he will kill
It is true that he would nave done
so. The mysterious knife seemed to
have compelled him TO the act. Tor,
with startling sUddenness. the Cata-
IeDJic condition left him lie laughed
aloud wildly. raised the weapon IN the
air and would have plunged 1t into
his wrist and held Il Then the fingers
Ioosened their hold and. the evil knife
fell 10 the dOOry point 0OWnWard
piercing the carpet and penetrating the
board beneath And there il stood.
For an instant the old man stared
down al II dazedly- Then he hid his
face in his hands, dropped back into
his chair and sObbed aloud
Rita looked I'D wondeTingly into Mcv-
ris' face. but he offered her no explana-
-r- - l.
around her and led her into another
what is it2-' she asked again What
does IL mean2'
I do not know, dear" was the an
swer. Perhaps he will tell me must
take him home now. but VIII return ,
"Oh! Morris" she pleaded, You viii
come backZ / an frightened You VIII
-etura2 Promise me that you will,''
7 promise. Rita As soon as I have
seen the pater home I viii return You
need not 20 in TO bic him goodnight;
Then he touched her forehead with his
lips and left her In the parlOT the
knife was still mabciously Swaying TO
and fro above the carpet Ike the head
or a cobra waiting 10 strike LathrOp
plucked II from the floor and returned
II, together with its fellow, 70 the
sheath This done. he touched Trevor
gently on the shoulder
Come, pateT,'' he said, gently. Let
US 80, now
Yes. yes- Let Us 60 now the fnan-
cisr assented. with pitiful anxiety
YES, I must get away, at once I
must think Nv God Morris, do you
understand what this thing means to
me- Do you know who this girl is"
Hush, Hush, Not another word
herei'the young man commanded
Let me help you on with your coat
Now, are YOU ready, sir2''
YES I am ready was the answer
Nevertheless, Trevor stin stood expect
ant, his eyes rowing toward the door by
which Clarita had gone out Of the room
''WheTe''- he began
But Lathrop interrupted the question
ere Il was formed
Never mindr" he urged II said
goodnight for you. pateT-"
Therest the old man sighed wistfully
and then the two went down to the
street and entered the carriage without
another word spoken between them
And in utter silence they drove home
ward, and IN silence they. parted
The CONTINUATION OF This story VIII
BE Found In T0mOTrOW's