The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-14
THREE KEYS
By FREDERIC ORMONI
Copyright 1903. by W !. We & Coz

that he would drop In again in the even
lHs9 on his way uptown Then he
IT found that stock all right. B.-
the package had been opened
-Certainly,' his son susy cred, indif-
1erenJiy- Il looked IL over When viii
you Re IN this afteruocR2''
Between > and s O'Clock"
when the father had seue the bed
ridden patient again threw the clothes
on and ieaped forth
Vow, Morris, hurrE,' hn Urged I
sha Mt SUR out CT tie h07sse til you
LathToo made no reply until he was
ready &c 60 Then he paused u the door
and said, very slowly
I did not CfICr vgu any CT ngratUIa-
lions, Jack. but 1 O 0 now
on they can wait UTtu you get
back, MiliinSt0n answered with a
laugh
As soon as he was left alone ne rang
the messenger bel and then wrote TINS
note
Dear Miss Edna Morris and I wish 20
see YOU II once You did sriendidIy
about the safe, but affairs are not en-
tirely slraiEhtened ouL yeC. / must have
Your consent 10 one more thing right
away Please come here aL once
JACK MILLINGTON.
AFTER the messenger boy had departed
with this miSsive the young hnancier
took Up a position by q window from
which he could overlook the avenue,
4
steadfasIIy watching the thOroUghfare-
Then o. a sudden he laughed softly 70
himself, crossed the room and stood
waiting until he heard lighS footballs
in the corridor and the bell rang, when,
on the instant, he swung the sO5r wide
Come IN, Edna he said, gayiy-
Morris VIII Be back soon He was
called out Tor a moment
1t is not at all right that I should
come here IN this way the girl said,
entering the parlor, but declining the
pro6ered chair NO, won't sit down
I shall stay only minute"
MillingtOu's manner changed abrupt
i, ard he went en- speaking with an
extraordinary rapiCIIy and emphasis.
Wei, never mind anything else Just
now he said There Is only one sin
gle thing OF real importance, and that
is-yOu- Edna. there Isn't a girl like
you this side Of Heaven Why, If I had
YOU for my wife, with your grit and
pluck and goodness, - say nothing Of
Your beauty I'd control railroads from
the ATlauT1C 10 the PACING within two
years, and I'd have q mortgage on the
earth very soon But too, Ia have
something infinitely better than rail
roads and aSes-sOmethiEE bet
ter tn7n anything else IN the worl6-fO-
I'd have you You needn't stand there
I-had taken leave Of my senses. On the
contrary, my dear. I've just found them
that's Gods truth. And yOn needn't
try to think I'D some ingenious and
gentle way OF saying no I tell you
now ] won't take no for an answer.
" by, nobody has ever said no TO me
since I was born. and I shan't let
slip Of girl Ike you begin ir-nOC
much Besides, Edna you must help
me out Of this SCrape with the COVER
nor, you know It'u never do IN the
world to let him know how we fooIe5
him, so I've got To 90 abroad TO mend
my broken bones-and you must go with
me"
Have YOU quite fnfshed2'' the girl
F--- h1- - inf
and trying. with rather poor success, to
speak col1ly-
FINISHED? no, I've Just begun" MI
iington retorted- Just as soon as you
7 thought you said that was not
necessary" Edna interrupted
We'll, it isn't only Just tor forms
But, just as soon as you do say Il III
send down word and have my yacht put
into commission, and you and I and
Rita Edna exclaimed. astounded-
Exactly NIlington affirmed You
and I and Morris and Rita VIII have
quiet double wedding, and then we Il
sail away. Edna, DO you know that
man has 20 be educated in love as well
as IN other thinEs2 Tonight before
started for Chicago I went with motifs
20 see Rita. and I thought / had lost
my heart TO her 1t turned out that u
was only my head Then, when 1 met
you yesterday, / knew the difference
between the real thing and the imita-
ton. There IS nothing dilatory about
me, sweetheart; never has been, Why,
] made I'D my mind on the spOtl'
Really, Mr.. NilinBton- the girl
began
leSsly-
Its quite unnecessary for you 10 use
any formula about taking time to con-
slider. and all that I've known you ever
since YOU were baby. and you've
known me. I want YOU 7 want you
for my wife I want you TO love me
always, Just as love you, and with all
your uaart and with al your soul and
with al your strength" AS he ceased
Speaking the wOOeT spTang toward the
girl im2etuOuslv and put his arms
around her before she could make
movement Of resistance Edna EdnaH'
he rnurmured- Don't you understand
what this means TO me2 You won't
refuse me, VIII you. deaTest2 Say
that you viii be my WIFE" He lifted
. her face and looked long into her eyes
/ The magnetism Of the man conquered
! the scrupIes Of the maiden When, at
last he bent his head and laid his Iips
10 hers the girls mouth returned the
kiss.
I The Continuation Of This Story VIII
I Be Found In TomOrnoyT's
Times.