her with
a sudden impatient movement, and the sound startled her out of her
vexing thoughts.

"What would grannie say, I wonder, if she knew?" muttered she, as she
stooped to pick up the book. She felt her face grow hot, and then she
laughed at her foolishness, and looked up to meet Miss Elizabeth's eye.

"What is it, Katie? What are you thinking about?"

"I was thinking about--grannie," said Katie in confusion.

"Well, what about her?"

"Oh! I don't know. I cannot tell you. Only I shall never be so good a
woman as grannie, I'm afraid."

"But then you have a long time before you. I don't think you need to be
discouraged yet," said Miss Elizabeth, laughing.

But Katie was very much ashamed of herself, and did not forgive herself
till she had talked the matter over, first with her grandmother, and
then with Davie. Davie only laughed at her with a little good-natured
contempt. He did not share his sister's enthusiasm about Miss
Elizabeth, and did not quite approve of the great friendship between
them. But as to making a sin of a moment's envy of her friend, and a
moment's discontent with her own life--Davie laughed at the idea.

But her grandmother did not laugh.

"My dear lassie, it is the way with us all. We are ready to turn our
best helps into snares to catch our feet. Miss Elizabeth's kindness may
do you much good in many ways, but if it should make you envious, and
should fill you with discontent, that would be sad indeed. And I doubt
you'll need to watch yourself, and maybe punish yourself, by hiding away
from her for a while."

CHAPTER ELEVEN.

GERSHOM MANUFACTURING COMPANY.

The possibility and desirableness of advancing the interests of the town
of Gershom by the still further "utilising" of the waters of the Beaver
River for manufacturing purposes, had long been a matter earnestly
discussed among the people. At various towns within the last five years
measures had been proposed, tending toward the accomplishment of this
object, but hitherto it had been with little result.

As a rule, the various industries which now gave prosperity and
importance to the place had grown out of small beginnings. On the spot
where now stood Cartwright's Carriage Factory, well known through all
the countryside, old Joshua Cartwright had faithfully and laboriously
spent his days in making tubs and stools, sugar-troughs, and axe-helves
for the early settlers. The shed where, in those days, Simon Hort