The Tomahawk. [volume] (White Earth, Becker County, Minn.) 1903-192?, 1926-03-18
THE
DUPLICATE
KEY
By F. LESLIE coULsoN
90 by short story Pub. Co,


for the slightest sound. The room
looked very lonely with Its bare desks
and vacant stools. The fire had died
out, and the bars were choked with
gray ashes. A chill had sharpened
the air. Unconsciously Hazel toyed
with the keys that lay beside him.
He picked them up suddenly, and tip
toed out into the corridor. The front
door was closed, but the wicket gate
had been left open for him. Hazel
pushed 1t to cautiously, and tiptoed
back to the Office, locking the door
behind him.
He was alone In the building, locked
In by his own will, but the silence
wrought upon his nerves. He started
at the rustic of ashes in the CRATE !;
the creak Of q board outside turned
him rigid.
He hesitated for a few moments,
then unlocked the door of the chief
clerks room, and crossed over to the
corner where the safe stood. He
thrust a bright, queerly shaped key
into the lock Of the safe, and turned
the handle. The door swung back on
silent hinges.
When he had found the notes and
papers he wanted, Hazel relocked the
safe and returned to the outer room,
hurrying now that his mission was
accomplished. He took down his hat
and overcoat from the familiar peg he
would use no more, and left the Office.
AS he turned into a thoroughfare
loud with traffic, his eye was attract
ed by a newspaper placard: Forgery
Case at the Old Bailey. Heavy Sen
fences"
He WINGED as he read the words.
1t struck him as CHASTITY coincidence
at first, then he realized 1t was not q
coincidence at all, but only his
changed outlook that made it appear
so. He bought paper and put 1t in his
pocket.
As he passed q mirror in a shop
window, he noticed that he was very
pale; people could not help seeing
how strange he looked. He felt that
he must stink away somewhere.
A short distance down q turning he
saw a restaurant which appeared to
be. empty. He had no appetite, but
went into the dreary, ill-lit room so
that he could be alone and think.
AS he stared at the paper man
came in and sat down opposite to him
"a commonplace, respectable man.
"Good evening"" he said amiably,
glancing at Hazel's paper. Reading
the trial? Got it stiff, didn't they?"
Hazel looked up distrustfully.
"Seven years is long time"
Eyes; but they deserved it. It's
silly game, this forging and thieving.
You hardly ever get off. You can't
cover your tracks, you know. Just
from the point of view Of what's best
for yourself, it's silly game. Won
derful men, these detectives. Now,
know a tee who says he"
Hazel pulled out his watch abruptly.
II must CO." he interrupted. "Good
dayp And he left the restaurant hur-
riedly.
The mans idle chatter had agra
waited his mental torment. BY mid
night he would be out of England, and
would have two days. start.
As 1t grew towards dusk Hazel still
tramped the streets in fear and indie
cision. -. ""..
And yet, before the robbery, the
plan had seemed SO simple, so safe,
so easy.
He suddenly remembered the key.
It struck him that he ought to get rid
of 1t. He could drop it anywhere-in
the gutter, over wall.
He took 1t from his pocket, and let
It slip through his fingers into the gut
ter, and then glanced down the street
nervopsly.
A man had just turned the corner
and was looking at him curiously. He
must have seen 1t drop. He might
come and see what 1t was.
Hazel stood and CROPPED into the
gutter until he found the key. 1t
would look as If he had dropped It
accidentally. =
He began to lose control Of him
self He was too weak, too magma
tive, to make criminal. He felt that
he was being hunted, hemmed in all
round. Why had he not seen all this
before? 1t was too late now.
Was 1t too later At the thought
he paused involuntarily in the middle
Of the pavement. OF course It was not
too late. He could replace the papers
in the safe without anyone knowing
anything about 1t. &
He experienced a sudden, over
whelming relief. He even smiled a
little at his panic of a moment ago.
He became practical at once. It
was half-past six. A tram would take
him near the Office in a quarter Of an
hour.
He grew light-hearted, and ran
after car and boarded 1t with an
athletic bound. Throughout the short
journey he kept his hand closed on
the key In his pocket. He shivered
again when he thought how near he
had been tn losing 1t. shutting out
his way Of escape.
But there was nothing but night
mare now. The whole affair was