"I shouldn't mind so much if you went along, too.""Are you crazy, Philip Carton?""No, I am not, but I am beinning to get sensible. If I go to prison I shall at least have enough to eat, and now I haven't.""What do you mean by all this foolish talk?""I mean that if you won't give me any money I will go to the store and tell Mr. Goodnow something that will surprise him."Jasper was getting thoroughly frightened.
"Come, Philip." he said, "listen to reason. You know how poor I am.""No doubt. I know you have a good home and enough to eat.""I only get seven dollars a week.""And I get nothing."
"I have already been trying to help you. I went to Ropes the other day, and asked him to lend me five dollars. I meant it for you.""Did he give it to you?""He wouldn't give me a cent. He is mean and miserly!""I don't know. He knows very well that you are no friend of his, though he doesn't know how much harm you have done him.""He's rolling in money. However, I've put a spoke in his wheel, I hope.""How?""I wrote an anonymous letter to Mr. Sargent telling him that Ropes was discharged from the store on suspicion of theft.""You are a precious scamp, Jasper.""What do you mean?"
"You are not content with getting Ropes discharged for something which you yourself did----""And you too.""And I too. I accept the amendment. Not content with that, you try to get him discharged from his present position.""Then he might have lent me the money," said Jasper sullenly.
"It wouldn't have been a loan. It would have been a gift.
But no matter about that. I want a dollar."
"I can't give it to you."
"Then I shall call at the store tomorrow morning and tell Mr.
Goodnow about the stolen goods."
Finding that Carton was in earnest Jasper finally, but with great reluctance, drew out a dollar and handed it to his companion.
"There, I hope that will satisfy you," he said spitefully.
"It will--for the present."
"I wish he'd get run over or something," thought Jasper. "He seems to expect me to support him, and that on seven dollars a week."Fortunately for Jasper, Philip Carton obtained employment the next day which lasted for some time, and as he was paid ten dollars a week he was not under the necessity of troubling his old confederate for loans.
Now and then Jasper and Rodney met, but there were no cordial relations between them. Jasper could not forgive Rodney for refusing to lend him money, and Rodney was not likely to forget the anonymous letter by which Jasper had tried to injure him.
So three months passed. One day Mr. Sargent arrived at home before it was time for Rodney to leave.
"I am glad to see you, Rodney," said his employer. "I have some news for you which I am afraid will not be entirely satisfactory to you.""What is it, sir?""For the last three years I have been wishing to go to Europe with my wife and Arthur. The plan has been delayed, because Icould not make satisfactory business arrangements. Now, however, that difficulty has been overcome, and I propose to sail in about two weeks.""I hope you'll enjoy your trip, sir.""Thank you. Of course it will terminate, for a time at least your engagement to teach Arthur.""I shall be sorry for that, sir, but I am not selfish enough to want you to stay at home on that account.""I thought you would feel that way. I wish I could procure you another position before I go, but that is uncertain. I shall, however, pay you a month's salary in advance in lieu of a notice.""That is very liberal, sir.""I think it only just. I have been very well pleased with your attention to Arthur, and I know he has profited by your instructions as well as enjoyed your companionship. I hope you have been able to save something.""Yes, sir, I have something in the Union Dime Savings Bank.""That's well. You will remain with me one week longer, but the last week Arthur will need for preparations."Two weeks later Rodney stood on the pier and watched the stately Etruria steam out into the river. Arthur and his father were on deck, and the little boy waved his handkerchief to his tutor as long as he could see him.
Rodney turned away sadly.
"I have lost a good situation," he soliloquized. "When shall Iget another?"
