noon
In fact , he cherished malice against the boy for getting the better of him in the matter of his dealings with his customers . That our young friend should have found out so much about his business methods , and should dare to hold the threat of exposure over his head , rankled in the breast of J. Rexford , Esq. . With something of a spirit of revenge he took good care to let his suspicions become generally known regarding his former clerk , knowing , as he must , that the injury to him would be almost irreparable . In consequence of the merchant 's free expression of opinion , by noon nearly all of the villagers knew of Fred 's discharge and his dishonesty -- or rather what they supposed and were willing to accept as his dishonesty . They further coupled this episode with the bar room occurrence , and at once decided that Worthington was a dissipated young scamp , and whatever good opinions they might have held of him before were straightway forgotten . Thus was Fred rated by the people of Mapleton , many of whom he met on coming from the mill . As he passed up the street towards his home some of them spoke to him in a strained , unnatural manner , others looked at him in a knowing way , and a few small boys crowded about him , as though he was on exhibition .