Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, N.D.) 1909-1915, 1909-12-31
SERVED seven DAYS,

mine for an instant before thelrtowner
walked on. = d NJ, ne ..s*Es.: i: =
l gazed after, her till she was out of
sight. Then gazed at the sacred spot
on the pavement where she had stood,
and, behold, there lay a little purse.
picked 1t up reverently and FASTENED
after her, but she was lost In the
throng Of Regent street. $.sss3:.
I reached Oxford circus and turned
and retraced my steps, and presently
I saw the girl again. She was gazing
into another shop window. AZ picked
my way delicately through the femi-
nine crowd. My arm brushed hers,
and the blood rushed from my heart to
my ears. She turned. Our eyes met,
and. by all the saints in heaven, her
eyes were brown! 1t was not she, but
another girl dressed exactly like her.
My hand fell from my hat, and |
gasped an apology. was wriggling
away when hand grasped my wrist
and tried to. wrest theGpurse from me.
I turned and beheld large man..
"Ah. would you?" he said. .Quiet"
He dug his knuckles into the back of
my hand. l restrained a fierce desire
to inflict similar treatment. on his coun-
tenance and said: Let 60, you ass!
Cant you see I'm not a pickpocket? I
picked up this purse FIVE minutes ago.
and 49, 1;$s
Eyes, I've heard all that before sew.
eral times. Have you lost your purse
missY' ""'. 4{SA$
The girl with the brown eyes search.
ed in her pocket. - 4.v
Eyes, l havew she exclaimed.
broke out into cold perspiration.
Wrenching my wrist free, held out
the purse. But this Is not ). your
purse!' - }::.sziF,
"But it is. Oh. you bad, wicked man!
I felt you take it!' s*
This settled the matter L, was
marched off to Vine street between
two policemen. ..2&
The magistrate was sitting. Having
been searched. was placed in the
dock and the girl in the witness box.
She made pretense Of being dis
solved in tears and pathetically be-
sought the authorities. to- release me.
But the magistrate soothiagly explain
ed to her how necessary it was for
the protection, Of honest, people that
rogues should be punished. Atalength
this wretched woman. committing per-
jury for the sake of paltry purse.
suffered the oath to be administered
and swore the purse was hers. r..
was taken away to the cells and a
little later to Pentonviile. -, H..
In this impolite retirement / spent
the seven most hideous days and
nights Of my life. But on the eighth
day came release. A warder entered
my cell and. with. more respect than
l had yet received in the prison, told
me that my innocence had been dis.
covered.
My good name and my clothes huv-
ing been restored to me. l was re-
quested-a refreshing change from be-
ing ordered-to step into private
room. Here found three ladies-a
majestic matron. the girl with the
brown eyes who had procured me d
weeks living free of exp ense land,
marvellous to relate. the girl with the
blue eyes, with whom l was still in
love. Both girls were. except for their
eyes. exactly alike. Twins. began
to see. =
The girl with the brown eyes had
tears in them. The girl with the blue
eyes also had her handkerchief to her
face. S:y,s>
The matron said gravely: +z%.>-
"Sir. an awful wrong has been done
TO you. for which question whether
we can make adequate amends. /
can. however, express my most deep
and sincere regret. But before / en-
deavor to explain permit me to intro
duce myself. am Mrs. Geoffrey
Featherstone, and these are my da,1gil-
tiers. Mabel and Alice"
Pardon Inc. Mrs. Featherstone." /
said. Il have already had the honor OF
an Introduction to Miss Alice Feather
stone. and the result Of the introduce
ton was such that. having no natural
taste for penal seryitude. would ratfl-
er not pursue the acquaintance"
your anger is just. Mr.. Felix, But
you will at least permit me to explain.
On the day on, which this awful thing
happened my daughters. wore new
dresses exactly alike" : -.
Mrs. Featherstone then proceeded:
1.-THE dressmaker had made the pock.
cts of these dresses ridiculously shall
low. Mabel declared that she would
never dare to put anything in her pock-
ct for fear OF having it taken, but
Alice laughed at the idea and declared
that she was competent to guard her
pocket If Mabel was not. They went
shopping and Alice insisted ON 3put-
ding her purse in her pocket. 1T had
not been there for FIVE minutes before,
Mabel. from pure love of mischief, took
1t out impoverished by Alice and puts 1T
tn her own pocket. The girls became
separated In Regent street, and the
purse must have fallen out Of Mabers
pocket when you saw her. Alice did
not miss it till she saw it in your
hand, and then what could she think ~
Z. '"''Oh. Mr.. Felix" exclaimed Alice.