of
Jacob Holt himself, to prevent him from entering into any serious
business relations with him. He had disappointed Jacob by his apparent
indifference to the evident advantages offered for the establishment of
new industries, and the opening of new sources of wealth to himself, and
of prosperity to Gershom. But he was not indifferent in the matter. He
saw the opportunity clearly enough, but he did not see in Jacob Holt, or
in any other man he met in Gershom, the right sort of agent by whom to
make the opportunity available.

He changed his opinion as to this, however, when he came to know more of
Clifton. Their long sail together, down the Saint Lawrence, and up the
Saguenay, gave time for much talk between them. Jacob was right when he
said that Clifton had his father's head for business, and the shrewd and
observing Mr Langden was not long in discovering his powers. Squire
Holt had been engrossed with business during the boyhood of his younger
son, and Clifton had been on too familiar terms with him, not to have
acquired much knowledge with regard to the details of business matters
without any effort on his part. His views and opinions, modified and
enlarged by contact with others during the two years' residence in the
city of Montreal, commended themselves to the judgment of his new
friend, and Mr Langden expressed surprise that he should not have
preferred entering on such a business as that left by his father, rather
than to take a new and untried path.

From one thing they went to another, till the capabilities of the Beaver
River as a water-power, and the chances of Gershom as a manufacturing
town, were fully discussed between them. The result was that Clifton
almost decided to give up for the present his legal studies, and take up
his abode in Gershom as Mr Langden's partner in such a business as it
had been Jacob's hope that the Gershom Manufacturing Company might
establish. Such an enterprise need not prevent him from going on as
Jacob's partner. On the contrary, his position in such a case would be
an advantage to him, and from his share of his father's wealth he
expected to obtain the means necessary as his part in the investment of
which Mr Langden was to supply the larger part. And so, to the
surprise and joy of Elizabeth, and of Jacob as well, Clifton came home
for good. Mr Langden did not see, or did not seem to see, one of the
chief motives that had influenced the young man in considering