The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1914-10-08
CHAPTER u.
The sian OF the Three.

me sign of tnc nFcc'
Outofdoors. high brazen noon. a
day In spring. the clamorous life OF
Nav York running as fluent as quick.
silver through lis brilliant streets.
Within-doors. neither sound nor sun
beam disturbed a perennial quiet that
was yet not peace
The room was like wide, deep
well OF n!gh;. the haunt OF teeming
shadows and sinister silences.
Little. Indeed. was visible beyond
the lonely shape that brooded over
Il. the figure OF an old man notion
less IN great. leatherboUnd chair
His hair was as white as his heart
was black The rack OF his bones.
clothed In thick black dressing.
gown with waistcord OF crimson silk.
from the thighs down was covered by
black woollen rug. He stared un.
blinkingly at nothing: a man seven.
eighths dead, completely paralysed
but for his head and his left arm.
Presently a faint clicking signal dis
turhed the stiffness Seneca Urine put
forth his left hand and touched one
Of row OF crimson buttons embedded
In the desk. Something else clicked
this time latch. There was the
faintest possible noise OF a closing
door and a smalllsh man stole noise
lessly into the light. paused beside tho
desk and waited respectfully for leave
to speak.
"Well7"
"a telegram. sir-from England"
Give Il mel"
The old man seized the sheet OF vel.
low paper. scanned II hungrily. and
crushed II In his tremulous claw with
a gesture OF uncomfortable emotion.
Send my daughter Judith here"
Two minutes later a young woman
in street dress was admitted 10 the
chamber OF shadows.
You sent for me. iather?-
sit down"
She found and placed a chair at the
desk. and obediently settled herself
IN II.
"Judith-tell me-what day IL this?"
MY birthday. am twenty-one."
And your sisters birthday: Rose.
too. Is twenty-one."
Yes"
You could have forgotten that" the
old man pursued almost nocklngly.
DO you really dislike your tw!n.sisteF
so intensely"
The girls voice trembled You
know" she said. we have nothing in
common-beyond parentage and this
abominable resemblance Our natures
differ as light from darkness"
And which would you say vas
Light"
Hardly my own: I'm no hypocrite.
Rose is everything that they tell me
any mother was. while THE girl
smiled strangely-'T think am more
your daughter than my moiher's"
4 nod Of the white head confirmed
the suggestion. IT is true. have
watched YOU closely. Judith. perhaps
more closely than even you knew.
Before was brought 10 this"-the
wasted hand made a significant ges.
tnre-"l was a man OF strong pas
sions. Your mother never loved. but
rather feared me. And Rose Is the
mirror OF her mothers nature, gentle,
unselish. sympathetic. But you, Ju-
dith. you are like a second self to
me"
An accent OF profound satisfaction
Informed his voice. The girl waited
In silence that was tensely expect.
ant
Then. II on this your birthday I
we're 10 ask a service OF you that
might iniuriously affect the happiness
OF your sister,"
The girl laughed briefly: only
ask ~"
And how far would you 20 to do
my will?"
Where would you stop in the serv.
fee Of one you loved?"
Seneca Urine nodded gravely. And
after a brief pause. Rose is IN love"
he announced.
"Oh. know-I know" the father
affirmed with faint ring OF satisfac.
ton. Il am old. a cripple. prisoner OF
this living tomb; but all things I
should know-somehow-I come 10
know in course Of timel"
IT'S true-that EnglIshman she
scraped an acquaintance with on tho
Riviera last year-what's hts nameY-
Law. Alan Law"
In 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 belled
by the whitening knuckles OF a hand
that lay within the little pool OF blood.
red light
And presently the deep voice rolled
on: Law and were once friends;