“I didn’t suppose you would,” continued the commercial traveler, in his oily tones, “but it is an expedient often resorted to by business men to help them out of desperate straits like yours, and I can’t see that there would be any danger in it in your case. A good many of our customers are settling their business preparatory to going to war. Suppose that one of them pays you four or five hundred dollars, goes into the army and gets killed, and you use the money! Who would be the wiser for it? Of course you would not be dishonest enough to steal the money—you would only borrow it until such time as you could replace it out of your salary; and if you felt any conscientious scruples about it, you might pay interest for the use of it.”
“But how could I account for the money being in my possession when I got ready to pay it over?” asked Guy.
“Easily enough. You could say to Mr. Walker some morning: ‘I received a letter from Mr. So-and-So last night. He went into the service six months ago, you know, without settling with us. Here’s the amount of his bill with interest to date.’ That’s all fair and square, isn’t it?”
“But Mr. Walker or the book-keeper would want to acknowledge the receipt of the money,” said Guy.
“Of course they would. You could give them some fictitious address, and as you have all the letters to mail, you could easily see that that particular letter did not go into the office.”
“But you said something about the man being killed. Suppose that happens before I have had time to save enough out of my salary to replace the money I have borrowed. Then what? He can’t pay his debt after he is dead.”
“Of course not; and in that case you’ll be smart enough to say nothing to nobody about it. Just keep mum. The amount of his bill will go on the debtor side of the profit and loss account, but you’ll be just that much ahead.”
As Mr. Jones said this he looked sharply at Guy, and told himself that his specious arguments were beginning to have their effect. The shipping clerk was gazing steadily at the floor, and there was an expression on his face that had never been seen there before.
“I am afraid I couldn’t carry out that plan successfully,” said Guy, after a few moments’ reflection. “It is somewhat complicated, and my knowledge of business is so limited that I might make a mistake somewhere. I would much rather go into partnership with you, as you suggested last night.”
Mr. Jones hastily seized the towel and buried his face in it to conceal his exultation. He had Guy under his thumb at last.