They could be seen but dimly, but even at that distance something in the prevalent droop suggested that they, too, had found the day "distressingly warm." "I hadn't realized," said Katie, "that making candy was such serious business." "It couldn't have been very pleasant today," their guest granted, "but I believe it is regarded a very good place to work." The book Katie had been reading the night before had shown her the value of facts when it came to judging places where women worked, and she was moved to the blunt inquiry: "How much do those girls make ?" "About six dollars a week, I believe," Miss Osborne replied.
Katie watched them: the long dim line of girls engaged in preparation of the sweets of life.

She was wondering what she would have thought it worth to go over there and work all day.

"Then each of those girls made a dollar today ?" she asked, and her inflection was curious.
"Well--no," Miss Osborne confessed.

"The experienced and the skillful made a dollar." "And how much," pressed Katie, "did the least experienced and skillful make ?" "Fifty cents, I believe," replied Miss Osborne, seeming to have less enthusiasm when the scientific method was employed.
There was a jarring sound.

The girl "sitting apart" had pushed her chair still farther back.