In his final
selection he was not over-fortunate, as the result proved. The new
clerk was shrewd, and capable enough, and apparently as much devoted
to his employer's interests as Jasper could wish. Had not his own
interests been regarded as paramount to those of the merchant, Jasper
would have possessed in him a valuable assistant. But the clerk
did not rise superior to temptations which came in his way.
Jasper continued to trade on the close-cutting, overreaching, and
unscrupulous system; and under such a teacher his clerk proved an apt
learner.
"He cuts right and left," said he to himself, "and why may not I cut
left and right when a good opportunity offers?"
Soon he began to "cut left and right," as he termed it, and it was not
remarkable that, in his cutting operations, his employer occasionally
suffered. The upshot was, after holding his situation a year, that
several false entries, in his hand-writing, were discovered in the
books of Mr. Jasper. To what extent he robbed his employer, the latter
never accurately knew; but he was worse off by at least three or four
thousand dollars through his peculations.
Again the question of taking Claire once more into his employment came
up in the mind of Jasper. After viewing it on every side, the decision
was adverse.
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