Far less smoothly had the current of Leonard Jasper's life flowed
on. Twice during this period had he received visits from his old
acquaintance, Martin, and each time he was made poorer by five
thousand dollars. It was all in vain that he struggled and resisted.
The man had no compassion in him. He cared not who suffered loss, so
he was the gainer.
There were other miners at work sapping the foundations of Jasper's
fortune, besides this less concealed operator. Parker, the young man
who succeeded to the place of Claire, and who was afterward raised to
the condition of partner, with a limited interest, was far from
being satisfied with his dividend in the business. The great bulk of
Jasper's means were used in outside speculations; and as the result of
these became successively known to Parker, his thoughts began to run
in a new channel. "If I only had money to go into this," and, "If I
only had money to go into that," were words frequently on his tongue.
He regarded himself as exceedingly shrewd; and confidently believed
that, if he had capital to work with, he could soon amass an
independent fortune.
"Money makes money," was his favourite motto.
Unscrupulous as his partner, it is not surprising that Parker, ere
long, felt himself perfectly authorized to use the credit of the house
in private schemes of profit.
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