TRUE RICHES.

CHAPTER I.

“A FatR day’s business. <A very fair day’s
business,” said Leonard Jasper, as he closed a
small account-book, over which he had been poring,
pencil in hand, for some ten minutes. The tone in
which he spoke expressed more than ordinary gra-
tification.

“To what do the sales amount?” asked a young
man, clerk to the dealer, approaching his principal
as he spoke.

‘To just two hundred dollars, Edward. It’s the
best day we’ve had for a month.”

“The best, in more than one sense,” remarked
the young man, with a meaning expression. |

“You're right there, too,” said Jasper, with ani-
mation, rubbing his hands together as he spoke, in
the manner of one who is particularly well pleased
with himself. ‘I made two or three trades that
told largely on the sunny side of profit and loss
account,”

“True enough. Though I’ve been afraid, ever
since you sold that piece of velvet to Harland’s
wife, that you cut rather deeper than was proton