pipe upon the mantelpiece, first carefully knocking
the ashes into the wood-box which stood beside the stove. Then, standing
with his left foot wrapped about his right ankle and his face full of
suppressed eagerness, he felt in each pocket of his waistcoat, and
produced first a knife, then a tape measure, a pincushion, a bunch of
keys, and last a large, worn copper cent. It was smooth with age, but its
almost obliterated date still showed that it had been struck the year of
Mr. Denner's birth.

Next, he spread his pocket handkerchief smoothly upon the floor, and
then, a little stiffly, knelt upon it. He rubbed the cent upon the cuff
of his coat to make it shine, and held it up a moment in the stream of
wintry sunshine that poured through the office window and lay in a golden
square on the bare floor.

"Heads," said Mr. Denner,--"heads shall be Miss Deborah; tails, Miss
Ruth. Oh, dear me! I wonder which?"

As he said this, he pitched the coin with a tremulous hand, and then
leaned forward, breathlessly watching it fall, waver from side to side,
and roll slowly under the bookcase. Too much excited to rise from his
knees, he crept towards it, and, pressing his cheek against the dusty
floor, he peered under the unwieldy piece of furniture, to catch a
glimpse of his penny and learn his fate.

At such a critical moment it was not surprising that he did not, hear
Willie Denner come into the office. The little boy stood still, surprised
at his uncle's attitude. "Have you lost something, sir?" he said, but
without waiting for an answer, he fell on his knees and looked also.

"Oh, I see,--your lucky penny; I'll get it for you in a minute."

And stretching out flat upon his stomach, he wriggled almost under the
bookcase, while Mr. Denner rose and furtively brushed the dust from his
knees.

"Here it is, uncle William," Willie said, emerging from the shadow of the
bookcase; "it was clear against the wall, and 'most down in a crack."

Mr. Denner took the penny from the child, and rubbed it nervously between
his hands.

"I suppose," he inquired with great hesitation, "you did not chance to
observe, William, which--ah--which side was up?"

"No, sir," answered Willie, with amazement written on his little freckled
face; "it hadn't fallen, you know, uncle; it was just leaning against the
wall. I came in to bring my Latin exercise," he went on. "I'll run back
to school now, sir."

He was off like a flash, saying to himself in