What else, in the way of local patriotism, may have escaped this individual, cannot now be known, the coroner drawing off her auditors, by the question next put to the widow. “Did you ever see any gold coins in the possession of the late Mrs. Goodwin?” asked that functionary. “Several times—I don’t know but I might say often. Five or six times, at least. I used to sew for the old lady, and you know how it is when a body works, in that way, in a family—it’s next thing, I do suppose, to being a doctor, so far as secrets go.” “Should you know any of that coin were you to see it again, Mrs. Pope?” “I think I might. There’s one piece, in partic’lar, that I suppose I should know, anywhere. It’s a wonderful looking piece of money, and true Californy, I conclude.” “Did any of Mrs. Goodwin’s gold coins bear a resemblance to this?” showing a half-eagle. “Yes, sir—that’s a five-dollar piece—I’ve had one of them myself, in the course of my life.” “Mrs. Goodwin had coins similar to this, I then understand you to say?” “She had as many as fifty, I should think. Altogether, she told me she had as much as four hundred dollars in that stocking! I remember the sum, for it sounded like a great deal for anybody to have, who wasn’t a bank, like. It quite put me in mind of the _place ers_.” “Was there any coin like this?” showing the widow the Italian piece. “That’s the piece! I’d know it among a thousand! I had it in my hands as much as five minutes, trying to read the Latin on it, and make it out into English. All the rest was American gold, the old lady told me; but this piece she said was foreign.” This statement produced a great sensation in the court-room. Although Mrs. Pope was flippant, a gossip, and a little notorious for meddling with her neighbours’ concerns, no one suspected her of fabricating such a story, under oath. The piece of gold passed from juror to juror; and each man among them felt satisfied that he would know the coin again, after an interval of a few weeks. Dunscomb probably put less faith in this bit of testimony, than any other person present; and he was curious to note its effect on his client. To his great surprise, she betrayed no uneasiness; her countenance maintaining a calm that he now began to apprehend denoted a practised art; and he manifested a desire to examine the piece of gold for himself. It was put in his hand, and he glanced at its face a little eagerly. It was an unusual coin; but it had no defect or mark that might enable one to distinguish between it and any other piece of a similar impression. The coroner interpreted the meaning of his eye, and suspended the examination of the widow, to question Mary Monson herself. “Your client sees the state of the question, Mr. Dunscomb,” he said; “and you will look to her rights. Mine authorize me, as I understand them, to enquire of her concerning a few facts in relation to this piece of money.”