e

92 TRUE RICHES; OR,

 

trunk a number of valuable articles that she had
stolen from us.”

“And you did right. You owed this summary
‘ustice as well to the purloiner as to the public.

ow, there are many ways of stealing, besides this
direct mode. If I deprive you of your property
with design, I steal from you. Isn't that clear ?”’

‘“ Certainly.”

“ And I am, to use plain words, a thief. Well,
now take this easily to be understood case. I have
a lot of goods to sell, and you wish to purchase them.
In the trade I manage to get from you, through di-
rect misrepresentation, or in a tacit advantage of
your ignorance, more than the goods are really
worth. Do I not cheat you?”

‘“‘ Undoubtedly.”’

“ And having purposely deprived you of a portion
of your money, am I not a thief?”

“Tn all that goes to make up the morality of the
case, you are.”

“The truth, unquestionably. Need I proceed
further? By your own admission, every business-
man who takes undue advantage of another in deal-
ing, steals.”

“Pretty close cutting, that, friend Claire. It
wouldn’t do to talk that right out at all times and
in all places.”

‘¢Why not?”

“J rather think it would make some people feel
bad; and others regard themselves as insulted.”

“I can believe so. But we are only talking this
between ourselves. And now I come back to my
rather abrupt question—Do you approve of steal-