in.

There were the usual passengers in the car--the respectable people
going out of town, who were reading the last editions of the papers,
the women who had been shopping, the servant girls who had been in
to visit their friends, feeling no interest in one another, and all
absorbed in their own reflections, as I was. I was thinking seriously,
when--my eye was attracted by some glittering object on the floor,
beneath the opposite seat.

Of course everybody is attracted by glitter. A piece of glass in the
moonlight may be a diamond, and show is far ahead of substance in
influencing men, from the illusion which affects short-sighted vision.
Thus this glittering object. What was it?--a diamond pin dropped by a
former passenger? No, it could not be this, because it appeared to be
round, and bigger than a pin stone could be. Could it be a bracelet?
No, for it was too small. I directed my gaze more earnestly towards it
in my doubt, and saw that it was a QUARTER, bright and sparkling with
the freshness of new mint about it, so it seemed.

This I determined to make mine at the first chance, for a woman was
sitting very near it, and I dreaded any confusion I might cause, by a
sudden plunge, through the motion of the cars; so, whistling at a
low breath, as if indifferent, but keeping my eye upon the prize,
I awaited the opportunity that should insure me the coveted
one-and-sixpence. It soon came: the bell rang, and the lady opposite,
with her arms full of bundles, walked out, leaving the object of my
ardent regard more distinctly in view. It seemed to me that every one
in the car had an eye on that quarter, which I felt was mine by right
of discovery, and which I was determined to have.

As the coach started I rose and fairly tumbled over into the
just-vacated seat, taking care to drop in such a way as to screen the
glittering bait. I looked at my fellow-passengers, and found that
all were staring at me, as though they were reading my secret. The
conductor had come inside the door, and was looking at me, and a heavy
gentleman on the same seat with me leaned far out on his cane, so that
he could take in my whole person with his glance, as though I were a
piece of property on which he had to estimate. I felt my face burn,
and a general discomfort seized me, as a man sometimes feels when he
has done a wrong or a foolish act; though I couldn't think the act I
was about to perform was wrong, and no one could say it was foolish