Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-01-21
(afess~s fAsss-.ss9 s9sss-asCS{s THE PURSE AND }
 THE PRISONER !
By ALFRED HURRY
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(Copyright, by Joseph B. Bowles. )


 Possibly she felt my gaze, for she turned. And her face was worthy of her figure. Two bright blue eyes met mine for an instant before their own CT walked on. I stood still. I was in love with that girl, whom ten sec onds before had never seen.
 gazed after her till she was out of sight. Then gazed at the sacred spot on the pavement whore she had stood. and behold. there lay a little purse. I picked 1t up reverently and hastened after her; but she was lost in the throng of Broadway.
 reached Twenty-third street and turned and retraced my steps. and presently saw the girl again. She was gazing into another shop window. picked my way delicately through the feminine crowd. My arm brushed hers. and the blood rushed from my heart to my ears. She turned. Our eyes met. And. by all the saints in heaven, her eyes were brown! It was not she, but some other girl dressed ex- actly like her.
 My hand fell from my hat, and I gasped an apology. was wriggling away, when hand grasped my wrist and tried to wrest the purse from me. turned and beheld a large man in ill-fitting clothes.
 "Ah, would you?" he said. "Quiet!"
 He dug his knuckles into the back of my hand. restrained a fierce de- sire to inflict similar treatment on his countenance, and said: Let go, you ass. Can't you see I'm not pick pocket? picked up this purse five minutes ago, and"
 Yes. I've heard all that before. sev- eral times; l don't want to hear it again. Have you lost your purse. miss?"
 The girl with the brown eyes searched for her pocket. found it, and then felt in 1t.
 Yes, have!" she exclaimed. I broke into a cold precipitation. wrenching my wrist free held out the purse. But this is not your purse"
 But 1t is. Oh, you bad, wicked man, felt you take it." This settled the matter. i was marched off between two policemen. The girl and the detective went in a cab.
 When brought before the magistrate she made pretense of being dis solved in tears. and pathetically be sought the authorities to release me But the magistrates white-haired fatherly old gentleman-soothingly ex plained to her how necessary it was for the protection of honest people that rogues should be punished. Al length this wretched woman, commit ting perjury for the sake of a paltry purse. suffered the oath to be admin istered and swore the purse was hers
 Silence. prisoner" said the father ly magistrate-still fatherly, but in a different way: you will not mend matters by blasphemy. A month Take him away"
 was taken away to a cell. In this impolite retirement 1 spent the seven most hideous days and nights of my life. But on the eighth day came release. A varder entered my cell and with more respect than had yet received in the prison. told me that my innocence had been dis covered and that had been pardoned for the ofen9e I had not committed
 My good name and my clothes hay ing been restored to me. I was re quested-a refreshing change from be ing oriered-to step into e private room Here | found three ladies-s majestic natron. the girl with the brown eyes who had procured me q weeks living free of expense. and marvellous to relate. the girl with tht blue eyes. with whom I vas still ir love Both girls were. except foi their eyez. exactly alike Twins. began to see
 The girl vith the brown eyes hat tears Ia themL Tke girl with the blu. eyes had her handkeryh1ef fo her fnce But this, she has since inforned - | ~~~ - IL hune< ~ fna omnEu