"I would be ashamed to take such interest as that."
"But I have a chance of making a good deal
more out of it myself."
"In what way?"
"That is my secret."
"Why don't you borrow it of your uncle?"
"He would ask too many questions. However,
I see that you're a miser, and I won't
trouble you."
He left Carl in a huff and walked hastily
away. He turned into a lane little traveled,
and, after walking a few rods, came suddenly
upon the prostrate body of a man, whose deep,
breathing showed that he was stupefied by
liquor. Leonard was not likely to feel any
special interest in him, but one object did
attract his attention. It was a wallet which had
dropped out of the man's pocket and was lying
on the grass beside him.
CHAPTER XVIII.
LEONARD'S TEMPTATION.
Leonard was not a thief, but the sight of the
wallet tempted him, under the circumstances.
He had set his heart on buying a ticket in the
gift enterprise, and knew of no way of obtaining
the requisite sum--except this. It was,
indeed, a little shock to him to think of
appropriating money not his own; yet who would
know it? The owner of the wallet was drunk,
and would be quite unconscious of his loss.
Besides, if he didn't take the wallet, some one else
probably would, and appropriate the entire
contents. It was an insidious suggestion, and
Leonard somehow persuaded himself that since
the money was sure to be taken, he might as
well have the benefit of it as anyone else.
So, after turning over the matter in his mind
rapidly, he stooped down and picked up the
wallet.
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