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Page 33
Involuntarily the young man sighed. If he had remained with Jasper,
there was little doubt but that his name would have been the one now
associated with his in a copartnership. Parker was the young man who
had betrayed the conversation between Claire and Mr. Melleville. His
end in doing this was to gain the favour of Jasper, and thus secure
the place left vacant by the departing clerk. He had succeeded in his
purpose. Jasper offered him the situation, and he took it. Five
years afterward, in which time Jasper had made money rapidly, he
was elevated to the position of partner, with a fair interest in the
business. He had been honest toward his employer, because he saw that
through him there was a chance to rise. Honest in heart he was not,
for he never scrupled to overreach a customer.
Edward Claire, as we have remarked, sighed involuntarily. His own
prospects in life were not what are called flattering. His situation
with Mr. Melleville was now worth five hundred dollars a year, but his
family had increased, and with the increase had come new wants. The
condition of Mr. Melleville's business gave him no encouragement to
hope for a larger income while in his service. Several times during
the last two years he had made application for vacant places, but
without success. Sometimes he felt restless and discouraged, as his
vision penetrated the future; but there was ever a cheerful light at
home that daily dispelled the coming shadows.
Scarcely had the sigh lost itself on the air, when a hand was laid on
his arm, and an old acquaintance said--
"Ah, Edward! How are you?"
Claire seeing the face of his friend, returned the greeting cordially.
"What have you been doing with yourself?" asked the latter. "It is
months, I believe, since I had the pleasure of meeting you."
"Busy all day," returned Clare, "and anchored at home in the evening.
So the time is passing."
"Pleasantly and profitably, I hope," said the friend.
"Pleasantly enough, I will own," was answered; "as to the profit--if
you mean in a money sense--there is not much to boast of."
"You are still with Melleville?"
"Yes."
"At what salary?"
"Five hundred."
"Is that all? How much family have you?"
"Three children; or, I might say four; but the fourth brings us three
hundred dollars a year for her maintenance."
"That is something."
"Oh yes. It is quite a help."
"By the way, Edward--the new store we just past reminds me of it--your
old friend Jasper has just given one of his clerks, named Parker, an
interest in his business."
"So I am aware."
"Jasper is doing first-rate."
"He is making money, I believe."
"Coining it. The fact is, Edward, you never should have left him. Had
you kept that situation, you would have been the partner now. And, by
the way, there was rather a strange story afloat at the time you took
it into your head to leave Jasper."
"Ah! what was it?"
"It is said that you thought him a little too close in his dealings,
and left him on that account. I hadn't given you credit for quite so
tender a conscience. How was it, Edward?"
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