Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1911-12-08

Brown had used up in preparation
every moment since be had parted
with Margaret the day before. except
eight hours for sleep, 1t was not that
he dreaded failure, but detection. IL
he were caught introducing loaded
coins for the spinning he could not tell
just what would be the result. He
might lose the girl. He certainly would
incur the contumely Of his rival. and
his action might prove ruinous to him
But nothing troubled him except the
possible loss of the prize.
Brown called late enough to give his
rival an opportunity to get in before
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 M
embarrassing conversation for half an
hour, when Armstrong, giving Mar
garet knowing look, proposed to dc
eide question he had raised by spin
ming a coin. He had invited her to go
to the tneater 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 | can't say that
either will possess 1t. shall not
name II. You are perfectly aware of
what 1t is | will spin a silver half
dollar for It, best three out of five"
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 coin that Arm
strong had taken from his pocket
Brown picked 1t up and mid I'VE will
begin with this half dollar; spin II
twice; will then furnish one which
we will spin twice; then we will spin
one belonging to Miss Lee
Placing the coin under his foretinger.
he asked Armstrong, Heads or tailsT
Armstrong chose heads, the coin was
spun and Armstrong won. The next
spinning was by Armstrong. who lost
ha fhfad IapIinaH m
substitute his own coin, but won.
Brown lost the fourth test, making
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 be examined 1t critically
Would you accuse me OF cheating
asked Brown.
"All's fair In war and in love" wa
the logged reply.
$50 | thought till sat down for this
test. when my conscience told me thai
an unfair advantage Is dlshonorablc
In any event am an expert al coin
spinning. II may use my own coin
as ! will show you. In this contest
you furnished the coin which tied ~
while Miss Lee furnished the one thar |
decided between us. Now ! Will show |
you that with my own coin | can win |
every time"
Taking a silver half dollar from hi |
pocket. he called on Armstrong
choose heads or tails and spun "
and Armstrong lost Brown repeated |
this seven times, winning every tInn
Armstrong took up the coin and r.: |
amined II carefully, but could SEQ
nothing unusual about It.
'Ts 1t loadedT he asked
mo-" replied Brown Taking d 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 nitn
rally cause the coin to sink "hend" side
down.
LET US try It again." said Brown
"and SEQ II tails will always be up
He did so. and, contrary TO expectation
head was always up. Brown then
showed him that the coin had been
filed on the tail side. He had chengcd