Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-08-29

him. then entered as though he had
merely dropped In casually. Armstrong
looked annoyed. and Margaret appear.
ed to be very regretful Of having
drifted into the position she occupied.
The three with difficulty kept up an
embarrassing conversation for half az
hour. when Armstrong. giving Mar.
garet knowing look. proposed to de-
eide a question he had raised by spin
ming a coin. He had invited her to 60
to the theater with him, and she seem.
ed to be in doubt what day to set for
the purpose. His proposition he in
tended for an introduction to the trial
that was to decide his fate with Mar
garet. The night for attending the
theater having been settled, Brown
proposed some other way Of amusing
the trio by coin spinning. Margaret
wore an American Beauty rose in her
hair, and at last Brown proposed to
Armstrong to spin a coin for It. Mar.
garet consented and Armstrong won
the rose. Then Brown spoke.
"Mr. Armstrong, there Is prize we
both desire. though I can't say that
either will possess 1t. shall not
name it. You are perfectly aware Of
what 1t is. I will spin silver half
dollar for II. best three out Of Ave"
Armstrong looked at Brown and un'
derstood Then he looked at Mar
garet and saw that, while she did not
approve. she did not forbid. They had
been playing with a coin that Arm.
strong had taken from his pocket.
Brown picked It up and said: 1--WE will
begin with this half dollar; spin 1t
twice; will then furnish one which
we will spin twice; then we will spin
one belonging to Miss Lee"
Placing the coin under his forefinger,
he asked Armstrong. Heads or tailsY
Armstrong chose heads, the coin was
spun and Armstrong won. The next
spinning was by Armstrong. who lost.
At the third test Brown declined to
substitute his own coin, but won.
Brown lost the fourth test. making a
tie. He then asked Margaret for a
coin, which she gave him.
All three knew what was at stake.
Armstrong was composed outwardly,
but excited inwardly. Brown showed
no emotion whatever. Margaret was
drawing long breaths. and her color
was leaving her. Brown called upon
her to spin the coin. She consented.
and Brown won. gaining the best three
in five and the prize.
Armstrong; eyes flashed. Taking
up the coin he examined 1t critically.
would you accuse me Of cheating?'
asked Brown.
"Alrs fair in war and in love-" was
the dogged reply.
$50 thought till sat down for this
test. when my conscience told me that
an unfair advantage Is dishonorable
in any event. l am IN expert at coin
spinning. II may use my own coin.
as I will show you. In this contest
you furnished the coin which tied US,
while Miss Lee furnished the one that
decided between us. Now ! will show
you that with my own coin l can win
every time"
Taking a silver half dollar from his
pocket. he called on Armstrong to
choose heads or tails and spun It,.
and Armstrong lost. Brown repeated
this seven times, winning every time.
Armstrong took up the coin and ex-
amined 1t carefully. but could see
nothing unusual about It.
SIS 1t loaded" he asked
mo" replied Brown. Taking small
magnifying glass from his pocket. he
asked Armstrong to examine the coin
with It. Armstrong saw that the edge
Of the milling on the head side had
been filed smooth. This would natu-
rally cause the coin to sink head" side
down.
LET US try 1t again." said Brown.
"and see II tails will always be up
Heidi so. and. contrary to expectation.
head was always up. Brown then
showed him that the coin had been
filed on the tall side. He had changed
coins without their knowing 1t.
Armstrong arose and, concealing his
rhagrin as well as he could. bowed po.
litely to both Of those he left behind
and withdrew.
The moment Margaret was left alone
with the man who had won she threw
herself into his arms.
"You could not do 1t. could your" she
exclaimed impulsively.
mo" he said> 81 couldn't"
"But you intended to do it7"
"Yes. I did. 1t seemed that I couldn't
take any risk In this one matter. !
spent a whole day in making prepara-
tions to win and gave up my position
to gain time for the purpose. So you
see you are to be possessed by man
who is
"Never mind. I am possessed by the
man I want"
Brown became successful and dis
tinguished man. with whom his wife
was happy and Of whom she was
proud. But he always said she was
his engineer.