Good luck!" For a moment he stood inert, fingering the humble coins,--for a moment he could hardly realise that these rough men of doubtful character and calling, with whom he had passed one evening, were actually humane enough to feel pity for his age, and sympathy for his seeming loneliness and poverty, and that they had sufficient heart and generosity to deprive themselves of money in order to help one whom they judged to be in greater need;--then the pure intention and honest kindness of the little "surprise" gift came upon him all at once, and he was not ashamed to feel his eyes full of tears.
"God forgive me!" he murmured--"God forgive me that I ever judged the poor by the rich!" With an almost reverential tenderness, he folded the paper and coins together, and put the little packet carefully away, determining never to part with it.
"For its value outweighs every banknote I ever handled!" he said--"And I am prouder of it than of all my millions!".