in another. Mr. Carman
doesn't correct mistakes that people make in his favor, and he can't
complain when the rule works against himself."

But the boy was very far from being comfortable. He felt that to keep a
half dollar would be a dishonest act. Still he could not make up his
mind to return it, at least not then.

James did not return the half-dollar, but spent it for his
gratification. After he had done this, it came suddenly into his head
that Mr. Carman had only been trying him, and he was filled with anxiety
and alarm.

Not long after this Mr. Carman repeated the same mistake. Again James
kept the half-dollar, and with less hesitation.

"Let him correct his own mistakes," said he resolutely; "that's the
doctrine he acts upon with other people, and he can't complain if he
gets paid in the same coin he puts in circulation. I just wanted a half
dollar."

From this time, the fine moral sense of James Lewis was blunted and his
conscience troubled him but little. He began to cherish a spirit of
covetousness, which is in the heart of all, until subdued by the grace
of Christ. He soon began to desire the possession of things for which he
was not able to pay.

James had good business qualifications. This pleased Mr. Carman. He saw
that the young man was intelligent, industrious, and tactful with
customers. For this reason, he advanced him rapidly, and, before he was
eighteen years of age, he held the most responsible position in the
store.

But James had learned something more from his employer than the secret
of doing business well. He had learned to be dishonest. He had never
forgotten the first lesson he had received in the downward course. And
this wicked instruction he had acted upon, not only in two instances,
but in a hundred, and almost always to the injury of Mr. Carman.

The young man had long since given up waiting for mistakes to be made in
his favor. He originated them in the varied and complicated transactions
of a large business in which he was trusted implicity.

Of course, he grew to be sharp and cunning; always on the alert; always
bright, and ready skillfully to meet any approaches towards a discovery
of his wrong-doing by his employer, who held him in high regard.

In this way it went on until James Lewis was in his twentieth year. Then
the merchant received a letter which aroused his suspicions. This letter
spoke of the young man as not keeping the most respectable company, and
as spend