Fancy Freedom
Morris cannot sell the paw as people don't believe that it works or they want to try it out first. He keeps it, but does not know if he would make another three wishes if he had the chance to do so. His apprehension and willingness to destroy the paw makes me think he went through trials, but, I attritbute his giving in to the White's as part of the paw's curse. He cannot desroy it or give it up, despite wanting too. He was only the second man.
I get the feeling that even if he wanted to keep it, he couldn't. It would have found a way to someone eventually. I think that his meeting with the White's was part of the grand scheme. Things in life are so connected it can be hard to weed out the "coincidences" from the "meant to happens". Honestly, I do not believe in coincidence. Keeping with the fakir's spell, I think that the paw would have travled to someone close to Morris. It would be someone that would affect his life or someone he had influence over. In this case he often told the White's stories. He was their guest and a friend to them.
Morris carries the paw with him where ever he goes. Was he trying to get rid of it? Keeping it close to protect others from it? What was it that finally drew it out of his grasp into the fire? Curiosity kept it with the Whites, but could Morris have done more? Perhaps he finally accepted that he could not keep it. He knew that he was the second, knew the story and perhaps finally gave it up to be rid of hte paw for good. After the third man, it should disappear.
He mentions the paw in passing or off-handedly several times. It is only with prompts from the Whites that he really sits down and explains it. I feel that part of him wanted to just let it go but couldn't. Then when he started talking about it, he knew it would leave him. That's probably why he gave up the paw in the end. He couldn't have kept it, the paw moved as it saw fit.
I believe that Morris fancied the idea of keeping it close as a way to protect others. He couldn't sell it, he'd just grown used to it. He mentioned it in passing because he wanted to be done with it. I believe that though he wanted to keep it, he wanted it gone too. I believe he grew weary of having it with him and that was part of what led it to the Whites. Mr. White also had a desire to see old temples and learn of fakir, he had a natural desire to learn of different cultures and the occult. This could be what drew the paw to him in the end.
I think that even though Morris knew the price of the paw, he couldn't keep it to himself. Maybe he thought that passing it to the third man would really end it. But I don't think he felt relief for having given it to a friend. He tosses it on the fire to be done with it and tries to have the Whites let it burn. Morris goes so far as to state that he will not blamed for the outcome and that he has warned them of the consequences. I feel his warning might have been heeded better if he had explained his wishes and losses. People can be quite skeptical, after all.