“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.”