world to be--a gigantic sham--and he
mentally remarked to himself "I told you so," and
drew an unusually large spread-eagle upon a
fresh sheet of foolscap.

He stayed three months in the school and
then graduated. His diploma was handed to
him by a venerable gentleman who delighted
in the appellation "president of the board,"
while an orchestra, composed of young ladies
of the school, all of whom were learning to
play the violin, by the "short method,"
discoursed most execrable music from an
improvised platform that had been built in the
church, for the occasion. Six other pupils
came through with "Dodd," and their going
out was used as an advertisement to lure still
another half dozen to fill the places left vacant.

The young man came forth from this
experience more the slave of doubt and distrust
than ever.

But the worst feature of all was that this
infidelity in "Dodd's" soul was poisoning his
whole life. Honor was to him now only an
empty name, but policy was a quality to be
held in high esteem. Truth was to be used if
convenient, but if a lie would serve a better
purpose for the moment, it would be brought
into service without hesitation or scruple.
Fortune was his goddess, if he did deference to
any unseen power; tricks and chicanery were
to him helps to rapid and boundless wealth.
"Let the sharpest win, and may the devil take
the hindermost," these were the tenets in his
creed, if he had a creed.

Armed with such ideas of life, "Dodd"
Weaver set out to battle with the world. He
had also his diploma!

CHAPTER XX.

In the course of a few weeks "Dodd" secured a clerkship that was much
to his mind. It was, however, one greatly in advance of his ability to
manage, with his present attainments. If he had believed that
fidelity, honesty, and attention to business were the prime factors of
success, he might have mastered the situation, perhaps. He did not so
believe. On the contrary, he held that the more he could shirk and get
out of, and still draw his salary, the sharper he was. He acted in
accordance with his belief. People usually do!

But business is business. "Dodd" found his employer an exact man--one
who required service by the card. This the young man could not, or
rather would not render. He blundered in his work on more than one
occasion, and resorted to tricks to bolster up his carelessness or
inefficiency. The result was that after a few weeks' service he was
dis