For some time after this discovery, Sanford sat at his desk in a state of abstraction and irresolution.  He was vexed that the error had been found out, for he had already nearly made up his mind to keep the overplus and say nothing about it.  He did not attempt to change the erroneous figure.—­Why should it not remain so?—­he at length asked himself.  If it had cost him so much time and labor to find it out, it was not probable that any one else would detect it.  Indeed, no one but himself and Mr. Millard had any thing to do with the general cash account of the establishment, and he knew very well that the latter did not examine it with a very close scrutiny.  Finally, pressing demands for money determined him to put the surplus into his pocket, at least for the present.  He did so, and in that act let into his mind a flood of evil counsellors, whose arguments, enforced by his own cupidities, could at any time afterwards have sufficient control to guide him almost at will.  With this sum of one hundred dollars, he paid off a portion of what he owed, and retained the rest to meet the demands that would be made upon him before the arrival of the next quarter day.  It was a rule with Millard to pay off his clerks only in quarterly instalments.  No other payments were allowed them.

It was not long before a deliberate false entry was made, by which another hundred dollars passed into Sanford’s pockets.  With this increase of income came a freer expenditure.  Hitherto he had been in the habit of riding out on Sundays on hired horses; but now he was inspired with a wish to own a horse himself.  A beautiful animal just at this time came under his eye.  It was offered at one hundred and fifty dollars.  The owner, knowing Sanford’s fondness for a gay, fast-going horse, urged him to buy.

The temptation was very strong.  He looked at the animal again and again, rode him out, talked about him, until, finally, the desire to own him became almost irresistible.  He had not twenty dollars, however, and it would be two months before his salary came due, which at any rate was all wanted for current expenses.  The cash book was looked at for a week or ten days before he could make up his mind to pen another false entry.  At last, however, he picked up the courage to do so.  The horse was purchased, and for a few days the thought of possessing so noble an animal was very pleasant.

On the third day after this act of dishonesty, Mr. Millard, who had been looking over the cash book, discovered the erroneous figures.

“Look here, Sanford,” said he, “you have made a mistake here.  This figure should be nine instead of eight, and this five instead of four.”

The young man’s heart gave a quick throb, but he controlled himself by a strong effort.

“Where?” he asked, quickly, coming at once to Mr. Millard, and looking over the cash-book.

“Here—­just add up these two columns.”

Sanford added them up, and then said—­