Karma: Does it further advancement or lead to the character's demise?

In the story Goophered Grapevine by Chesnutt, a number of tricks are enacted by a variety of characters, all from very diverse backgrounds. The tricks occur inside and outside the frame of the original story. The overarching trick is committed by Uncle Julius, who is manipulating events to ensure his security and comfort in life. Within the trick by Uncle Julius is a series of smaller ones, mostly from Dugal but also from a northerner. When Dugal continued to trick his neighbors for personal monetary gain, he was opened to be tricked by a con artist, which caused hims to lose everything. During his trickery, other innocent bystanders were forced to suffer from his greed. Once Uncle Julius finishes his story, tries to convince Mr. John and Miss Annie not to buy the vineyard. His trick doesn't work though, the couple is honest and the vineyard becomes successful. So maybe karma plays a role in the success of the vineyard. Or maybe on a surface level, honesty and respect of the land and the people connected to it can determine the success or failure of a family/person.
Another conclusion could stem from the lack of responsibility for one's own property because of the need for more and the inability to share. Either way, the story promotes the idea that trickery causes the person to lose everything in the end.