The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1915-02-04
CHAPTER u.
The sign OF the Three.

The Sign OF the Three.
Out-of-doorB, high brazen noon,
day In spring. the clamorous HE OF
New York running as fluent as quick
silver through It's brilliant streets
Withln.doors. neither sound nor sun
beam disturbed a perennial quiet that
was yet not peace.
The room was like a wide. deep
well OF night. the haunt OF teeming
shadows and sinister silences.
Little. indeed. was visible beyond
the lonely shape that brooded over
II. the figure OF an old man motion
less in 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
black woollen rug. He stared un-
| blinkingly at nothing: man seven
eighths dead completely paralyzed
| but for his head and his left arm.
Presently faint clicking signal dis
| turbed 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 a latch There was the
faintest possible noise OF closing
door. and a smallish man stole noise
lessly into the light, paused beside the
desk and waited respectfully for leave
TO speak.
"WelI?"
"a telegram, sir-from England"
Give Il met
The old man seized the sheet OF yell
low paper. scanned II hungrily. and
crushed II In his tremulous claw with
gesture OF uncomfortable emotion.
Send my daughter Judith herel"
Two minutes later a young woman
IN street dress was admitted to the
chamber of shadows.
you sent for me. father"
"Sit down"
She found and placed chair at the
desk. and obediently settled herself
In II.
"Judith-~tell me--what day Is this?'
MY birthday | am twenty-one."
And your sisters birthday Rose
too. Ia twonty-One"
"Yea."
You could have forgotten that" the
old man pursued almost mockingly
DO you really dislike your twin.sisteI
so Intensely
The giris voice trembled "Yo,
know" she said. I'VE have nothing IL
common beyond parentage and thii
abomlnable resemblance, Our natures
differ a. light from darkness"
And which would you say was
Light"
| Hardly my own: I'm no hypocrite
Rose Is everything that they tell IN
my mother was. while THE cir
smiled Strangely think am NOR
your daughter than my mothers"
| A nod OF the white head confirme
the suggestion 1T is true, | hav
watched you closely. Judith. perhap
| more closely than even you knew
| Before | was brought to this"--th
wasted hand made a significant gel
| ture-'l was a man OF strong pa
sions, Your mother never loved. bu
rather feared me And Rose is tn
mirror ol her mothers nature. gentl,
| unsslesh. sympathetic, But you. j
dith. you are like q second self
| me"
Il An accent Of profound satistaetio
| informed bis voice, The girl waite
| In silence that was tensely expsc
ant
Then. n on this your birthday
were TO ask u service OF you tbs
. might lnJuFioualy AFFECT the happines
q OF your sister"
6 The girl laughed briefly; "oal
y ask III
% "And how far would you 80 to I
my wiiir"
n Where would you stop In the ser
Ice OF one you lovcdF'
q Seneca Urine nodded Eravsly. An
u after brief pause, Rose IL In love
o. be announced.
"oh. know know" the faith
~ affirmed with a faint ring OF satisfa
n. ton Z am old cripple. prisoner
n, this living tomb: but all things
should know somehow come
b. know In course OF time"
n "lt's tFue-that EnGlishmAn Al
n scraped an acquaintance with on Il
Riviera last year-whRt's his name ;
"a law, Alan Law"
n In the main" the father correct,
10 mildly, you are right Only. he's n
", English His father was weIlingtt
10 law. OF law a Son
pa she knew better than to interrul
nd but her seeming patience was bell
Is. by the whitening knuekles OF a ha
"a. that lay within the little pool OF bloS
NJ red light
And presently the deep voice roll
- On; Law and I were once h4aAS