"
"Yes, I see that," returned Jasper. And he mused for some moments. He
was particularly anxious that Claire should take the orphan, for then
all the trouble of looking after and caring for her would be taken
from him, and that would be a good deal gained.
"I'll tell you what, Edward," he added. "If you will take her, I will
call the sum six dollars a week--or three hundred a year. That will
make the matter perfectly easy. If your wife does not seem at first
inclined, talk to her seriously. This addition to your income will be
a great help. To show her that I am perfectly in earnest, and that
you can depend on receiving the sum specified, I will draw up a little
agreement, which, if all parties are satisfied, can be signed at
once."
Claire promised to talk the matter over with his wife at dinner-time.
The morning did not pass without varied assaults upon the young man's
recent good resolutions. Several times he had customers in from
whom it would have been easy to get more than a fair profit, but he
steadily adhered to what he believed to be right, notwithstanding
Jasper once or twice expressed dissatisfaction at his not having
made better sales, and particularly at his failing to sell a piece
of cloth, because he would not pledge his word as to its colour and
quality--neither of which were good.
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