Yet he could
not banish the accusing spirit; he could not silence the inward voice
of warning.
Once there came a strong revulsion. Good impulses seemed about to
gain the mastery. In this state of mind, he took from his pocket his
ill-gotten gains, and threw them into the money-box, which had already
been placed in the fire-closet.
"What good will that do?" said he to himself, as the wave of better
feelings began to subside. "All the sales-entries have been made, and
the cash balanced; Jasper made the balance himself. So the cash
will only show an excess to be accounted for; and from this may
come suspicion. It is always more hazardous to go backward than
forward--(false reasoner!)--to retrace our steps than to press boldly
onward. No, no. This will not mend the matter."
And Claire replaced the money in his pocket. In a little while
afterward, he left the store, and took his way homeward.
CHAPTER IV.
As on the previous evening, Mrs. Claire was alone for some time later
than usual, but now with an anxious, almost fearful looking for her
husband's return. Suddenly she had taken the alarm. A deep, brooding
shadow was on her heart, though she could not see the bird of night
from whose wings it had fallen. Frequently, during the afternoon,
tears had wet her cheek; and when an old friend of her mother's, who
lived in the country, and who had come to the city in order to make
a few purchases, called to see her, it was with difficulty she could
hide her disturbed feelings from observation.
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