The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1911-08-18

struggling to get wife should give up
| the income on which to support her,
but Brown argued that he couldn't get
the wife and keep the position He
possessed the faculty Of deciding be-
tween the greater and the lesser. He
needed all of the day to continue his
preparations for the game he was to
play in the evening. IL he lost there
was no recovery. IL be won be had a
lifetime In which to secure another
position.
When the evening for the trial came
Brown had used up in preparation
every moment since he 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
drlfted into the position she occupied.
The three with difficulty kept up an
embarrassing conversation for half an
hour. when Armstrong. giving Mar
garet knowing look. proposed to de-
eide a question he had raised by spin
ming coin. He had invited her to go
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 coin for 1t. Mar
garet consented and Armstrong won
the rose. Then Brown spoke.
mfr. Armstrong. there is q prize we
both desire. though | can't say that
either will possess it. shall not
name 1t. You are perfectly aware Of
what 1t is. will spin a silver half
dollar for 1t. best three out of FIVE"
Armstrong looked at Brown and I'M
derstood Then he looked at Mar
m rat and On w baf xrhila che did n0t
approve, she did not forbid. They had
been playing with q 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 forehnger,
he asked Armstrong. Heads or tailsT
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 Ave and the prize.
Armstrong; eyes flashed. Taking
up the coin he examined 1t critically.
Would you accuse me of cheatingf"
asked Brown.
"All's fair in war and In love-" was
the logged reply.
$50 thought till sat down for this
test, when my conscience told me that
an unfair advantage Is dlshonorable
in any event. am an expert at coin
spinning II | may use my own coin,
as ! will show you. In this contest
you furnished the coin which tied us,
while Miss Lee furnished the one that
decided between us. Now l will show
you that with my own coin can win
every time"
Taking silver half dollar from his |
pocket. he called on Armstrong to
choose heads or tails and spun 1t,
and Armstrong lost Brown repeated |
this seven times, winning every time. |
Armstrong took up the coin and ex-
amined II carefully, but could see |
nothing unusual about It.
Els 1t loadedf" he asked
NO" replied Brown. Taking a 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 it again." said Brown,
'and see 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 changed |
coins without their knowing 1t.
Armstrong arose and, concealing his
chagrin as well as he could. bowed po-
hiSiy W uotu VI tuoSe ne iett Deuluu
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 it?"
Eyes. | did. 1t seemed that couldn't
take any risk In this one matter. I
spent whole day in making prepare
tons to win and gave up my position
to gain time for the purpose. So you
see you are to be possessed by man
who Isl
"Neyer mind. am possessed by the
man | want"