... that he heard the advice given to the stranger and that it was "You are far from being a bad man: go and reform." Each of the nineteen citizens who received the letter were immediately overjoyed and rushed to turn in the winning advice to Reverend Mr. Burgess. (It was Burgess's responsibility to run the test of reading the real remark sealed inside the bag of gold.) The first part of the stranger's elaborate plan ... was revealed that there was no gold in the sack. Instead the gold was only painted lead. After the eighteen citizens had been shamed, the town auctioned off the sack of lead...

• Word Count: 2988
• Approx Pages: 12
• Grade Level: High School