Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1918-12-27
The Capitals
Short Story
THE SOLUTION

BY AGNES c. sRocAN.


the pocketbook as soon as she had
seated herself in the car 1t was ~
ing clasped by rubber band. close at
her side. She held up the purse, look
ing questioningly toward those about.
but ii was evident that the lost peck
etbook was neither the property of the
fat gentleman upon the opposite cross
seat, or the woman near by.
"a soldier got out of that seat Just
{. before you came In" the woman whis-
pered, probably he left it there"
Before placing the purse in the
hands of the conductor. Kathleen de-
cided to examine its interior for clue
Of ownership. Besides small roll
of bills. she noticed in separate
compartment several folded papers.
These contained no desired informa-
ton; but as she opened the last sheet
Of smooth, unwritten paper. Kathleen
Rasped In surprise, for looking out
at her from its protection was very
/ lifelike picture-of herself And the
remarkable thing about this picture
was that she had had but one copy
made from a large photograph which
was her own-in order to send 1t to a
fer-away aunt.
To enter Kathleen's sitting room.
divided by doors from the city
boarding house parlor was like enter
| ing a beautiful fiower-garden at the
end of a dreary road. In Kathleen's
room all was soft rose colored light,
and inviting comfort.
"After ALL" she told herself, zone
lives upon the inside, and not the
outside" So, this evening of the
finding of the pocketbook, Nora, the
housemaid, met her in the hall. And
because her excited spirit must have
confidant, into Nora's ears Kathleen
poured her tale of adventure.
II shall advertise the purse tomor-
row. Nora" she said. But the follow
Ing evening It was Nora, who burst ex-
citedly into Kathleen's room.
Violently she slapped newspaper
down on the table.
"Read that" she demanded, point
ing to the Lost column. And there
Enthusiastically was a plea for the re-
turn of the purse Kathleen had found.
Suitable reward to finder,r the adj
yertisement ended. Kathleen spent
much time in the wording of her re-
Spouse. 1t was necessary that the
owner must call to identify his prop
erty; also necessary that he describe
contents before claiming. And how
was she to stand there before strange
man, while he described to her the
appearance Of her own photograph and
his strange wish for its possession?
"Tll tell you," suggested Nora. "just
leave the whole thing to me. I'll open
the door when he calls; then TIL tell
him the picture was of a friend o.
mine, an find out about 1t before I
Civ him the purse. You won't have
to see him at ALL"
"Very well," Kathleen assented
doubtfully.
When, therefore, Nora went one eve
ming to answer the summons of the
door bell, palpitatingly Kathleen lin
gered behind the closed door of her
sitting room. Distinctly she heard
mans tread following Nora's shuf-
fling one into the stir parlor. His
voice had pleasing sound
$50 you found the purse?" he said.
and proceeded in detail to describe its
contents. Shamelessly Kathleen lis
tened. sand" he said abruptly, "the
Photograph of young woman"
'What sort Of lookin' young woman,
now?" asked Nora.
"The sort Of face" he unused,
which would make a man believe in
all the good Of the world. True, steady
eyes"
"The queer part Of It," said Nora,
''is that the girls friend o. mine.
An we've been wonderin' how you
come by her picter."
"A friend of yoursi'' repeated the
men. Astonishment spoke in every
word. 81 owe your friend an apology,
then" he went on. I'm afraid my
Get and my motive both viii be hard
t. explain. You see, I was down at
the photographers here one day, hav-
+ ing my picture taken before starting
overseas, and-T wasn't feeling very
happy at the time. Then all at once
this girls face looked up at me from
counter full Of photographs, the
very eyes seemed speaking of cour-
ege and smiling bravely.
"Who is it?' I asked of my friend
the photographer. But he evaded the
question.
'sThat picture was copied from
large one which made for the sit
ter" he said. at was not satisfactory
TO me. so I kept it and gave her bet
ter one"
That picture is my mascot said
decidedly. I'm going to carry 1t through
the wars and he laughed, making
no objection" The soldier paused.
Then sigh came quivering from the
girl behind the closed doors. "And
II went with me-" he continued, even
through that last, awful time. I'm
home now recovering from the wound.
But it's going to be slow. You win
tell your friend all this. please, and
tel her. too. that her face never
ceased TO be my inspiration. When 1t