Katy blushed when she met the keeper of the grocery at the corner of the court, for in spite of all her fine talk about false pride, she had not entirely banished it from her heart. Some queer ideas came into her head as she thought what she was doing. What would her grandfather, the rich Liverpool merchant, say, should he meet her then? Of course he would not know her; he would be ashamed of her. But she did not permit such reflections as these to influence her; and as soon as she was conscious of the nature of her thoughts she banished them. "I'm going to support my mother, and I have no right to be proud. If I meet my grandfather, I should like to sell him twenty sticks of candy." "Hallo, Katy! What are you going to do?" said a voice behind, which she recognized as that of her friend Tommy Howard. "I'm going to sell this candy," replied Katy. "You're a spunky one; mother told me all about it. I should like two sticks," said Tommy, as he offered her the money. "Take two, Tommy, and as many more as you like." "Two is all I want;" and he placed the two cents on the tray. "No, Tommy, I won't take your money," replied Katy, with a blush, for she felt ashamed to take his money. "That's no way to trade," laughed Tommy. "You won't make much, it you do so. Keep the money and I will keep the candy." "I can't keep it, Tommy." "You must; if you don't take the money, I won't take the candy." "I owe you two cents, Tommy. I will pay you now." "No, you don't!" "Please to take them; I shall feel very bad, if you don't." Tommy Howard looked her in the eye a moment; he saw a tear there. Her pride was wounded, and he took the two cents from the tray, for he did not wish to give her pain. "Now, we are square, Tommy," said Katy, as her face brightened up again. "Yes, we are, but I don't like it pretty well. One of these days, when you get out of this scrape, I will let you give me as much candy as you have a mind to." This was very obliging of Tommy; and when Katy understood his motive, she was sorry she had not permitted him to pay for the candy, for she saw that he did not feel just right about the transaction. It was not exactly mercantile, but then the heart comes before commerce. As she walked along, she could not help thinking that her natural generosity might seriously interfere with the profits of her enterprise. She had a great many friends; and it became a knotty question for her to decide whether, if she met any of her school companions, she should give each of them a stick of candy. She would like to do so very much indeed; but it was certain she could not afford to pursue such a liberal policy. It was a hard question, and, hoping she should not meet any of her schoolmates, she determined to refer it to her mother for settlement.