The Tucumcari news and Tucumcari times. [volume] (Tucumcari, N.M.) 1907-1921, 1914-12-31
APT u.
The Sian OF the Three.

W. 10 bhe4N' 'f
day In spring. the clamorous life OF
New York running as fluent as quick.
silver through It's brilliant streets.
Within-doors. neither sound nor sun
beam disturbed a perennial quiet that
was yet not peace.
The room was like a wide. deep
we'll OF night, the haunt OF teeming
shadows aud sinister silences.
Little. indeed, was visible beyond
the lonely shape that brooded over
II. the figure OF an old man motion.
less In C great. leather.bound chair.
His hair was as white as his heart
was black. The rack OF his bones.
clothed In a thick black dressing.
gown with waist.cord OF crimson silk.
from the thighs down was covered by
a black woollen rug. lie stared u
blinkingly at nothing: n man seven.
eighths dead. completely paralyzed
but for his head and his left arm.
Presently q faint clicking signal dis.
turbed the stiffness. Seneca Urine put
forth his left hand and touched n
OF a row OF crimson buttons embedded
In the desk. Something else clicked
this time 2 latch. There was the
~faintest possible noise OF n closing
door. and n smallish man stole noise.
lessly into the light. paused beside the
desk and waited respectfully for leave
to speak.
Well"
"a telegram, s.r-trom England"
GIVE Il me-"
The old mar seized the sheet OF vel.
low paper. scanned II hungrily. and
crushed 1t In his tremulous claw with
q gesture OF uncomfortable emotion.
Send my daughter Judith here"
Two minutes later n young woman
in street dress was admitted to the
chamber OF shadows.
You sent for me. father"
"Sit down"
She found and placed a chair at the
desk. and o~bediently settled herself
In IL.
"Judith-tell me-what day Is thls?"
MY birthday. ! am twenty.one."
And your sisters birthday: Rose,
too. is twenty.one."
Eyes"
You could have forgotten that" the
old man pursued almost mockinPly.
DO you really dislike your twin.sister
so Intensely"
The girls voice trembled. you
know" she said. I'VE have nothing in
common-beyond ~parentage and this
abominable resemblance. Our natures
differ as ligh, from darkness"
And which would you say was
light"
Hardly my own: I'm no ~hypocrite.
Rose is everything that they tell me
my mother was. while THE girl
smiled strangely think am more
your daughter than my mothers"
A nod of the white head confirmed
the suggestion. 1T Is true. | have
watched you closely. Judith. perhaps
more closely than even you knew.
Before | was brought 10 this"-the
wasted hand made n significant ges.
ture-"l was n nan OF strong pas.
sions. Your mother never loved, but
rather feared me, And Rose is the
| illTIOT vi HNI ulbAltl , iiANlFt ktillit,
unselhsh, sympathetic. But you, Ju.
dith. you are like u second self TO
me-"
An accent OF profound satisfaction
Informed his voice. Tho girl waited
In a silence that al t~ensely expect.
ant.
Then. n on this your birthday 7
were TO ask a service Of you that
might injuriously affect the happiness
OF your sister,"
The girl laughed briefly; only
ask IT,"
And how far would you go to do
my will7"
Where would you stop in the sery.
ice OF one you loved"
Seneca Urine nodded gravely. And
after a brief pause, Rose Is In love"
he announced.
"oh. I know know" tbs father
afirmed with a faint ring OF satisfac.
ton. II am old. a cripple. prisoner OF
this living tomb; but all things I
should know-somehow-I come 70
know In course OF time!"
"It's true-that Englishman sbs
scraped an acquaintance with on the
Riviera last year--what's his name?-
Law. Alan Law"
TN the MAN," the father corrected
mildly, you are right. Only. he's not
English. His father was Wellington
Law. OF Law a Son"
She knew better than TO interrupt.
but her seeming patience was belied
by the whitening knuckies Of a hand
that lay within the little pool OF blood
red light
And presently the deep voice rolled
On; Law and I were oncs friends;