of business; but Katy who was so scrupulously honest and
just herself, was severely tried by them. It was not the loss of the
money only, but the dishonesty of the girls that annoyed her.

"What shall be done, mother?" said she, anxiously, when the loss was
understood to be actual. "I can't find these girls. I don't even know
their names."

"Probably, if you did find them, you could not obtain any satisfaction."

"I went to see one girl's mother the other day, you know, and she drove
me out of her house, and called me vile names."

"I was thinking of a plan," continued Mrs. Redburn, "though I don't
know as it would work well."

"Anything would work better than this being constantly cheated; for it
is really worse for the girls than it is for us. I have often felt that
those who cheat us are the real sufferers. I would a good deal rather
be cheated than cheat myself."

"You are right, Katy; and that is a Christian view of the subject. I
suppose we are in duty bound to keep these girls as honest as we can."

"What is your plan, mother?" asked Katy.

"We will sell them the candy, instead of employing them to sell it for
us."

"But they won't pay us."

"Let them pay in advance. We will sell them the candy at eight cents a
dozen. Any girl who wants two dozen sticks, must bring sixteen cents."

"I don't believe we can find any customers."

"We can try it. For a time, probably, the sales will be less."

"Very well, mother, we will try it; for I think it would be better to
keep them honest, even if we don't sell more than half so much."

When the girls appeared the next morning to receive their stock, it was
announced to them that the business would thereafter be conducted on a
different basis; that they must pay for their candy before they got it,
and thus become independent merchants themselves. Most of them were
unable to comply with the terms, and begged hard to be trusted one day
more. Katy was firm, for she saw that they would be more likely to be
dishonest that day, to revenge themselves for the working of the new
system.

The girls were not all dishonest, or even a majority of them, but the
plan must be applied to all. Most of them went home, therefore, and
shortly returned with money enough to buy one or two dozen sticks. As
Mrs. Redburn had predicted, the effect of the adoption of the new plan
was unfavorable for a few days. The obstinate ones would not buy,
hoping to make the wholesale dealer go bac