e opened, and in went they. So they are safe in girth and
sanctuary, and we may go to our cold beds and warm us."

"Ay," said one of the party, "the good Dominicans have always some
devout brother of their convent sitting up to open the gate of the
sanctuary to any poor soul that is in trouble, and desires shelter in
the church."

"Yes, if the poor hunted soul can pay for it," said another "but, truly,
if he be poor in purse as well as in spirit, he may stand on the outside
till the hounds come up with him."

A third, who had been poring for a few minutes upon the ground by
advantage of his torch, now looked upwards and spoke. He was a
brisk, forward, rather corpulent little man, called Oliver Proudfute,
reasonably wealthy, and a leading man in his craft, which was that of
bonnet makers; he, therefore, spoke as one in authority.

"Canst tell us, jolly smith"--for they recognised each other by the
lights which were brought into the streets--"what manner of fellows they
were who raised up this fray within burgh?"

"The two that I first saw," answered the armourer, "seemed to me, as
well as I could observe them, to have Highland plaids about them."

"Like enough--like enough," answered another citizen, shaking his head.
"It's a shame the breaches in our walls are not repaired, and that these
landlouping Highland scoundrels are left at liberty to take honest men
and women out of their beds any night that is dark enough."

"But look here, neighbours," said Oliver Proudfute, showing a bloody
hand which he had picked up from the ground; "when did such a hand as
this tie a Highlandman's brogues? It is large, indeed, and bony, but
as fine as a lady's, with a ring that sparkles like a gleaming candle.
Simon Glover has made gloves for this hand before now, if I am not much
mistaken, for he works for all the courtiers."

The spectators here began to gaze on the bloody token with various
comments.

"If that is the case," said one, "Harry Smith had best show a clean pair
of heels for it, since the justiciar will scarce think the protecting a
burgess's house an excuse for cutting off a gentleman's hand. There be
hard laws against mutilation."

"Fie upon you, that you will say so, Michael Webster," answered the
bonnet maker; "are we not representatives and successors of the stout
old Romans, who built Perth as like to their own city as they could? And
have we not charters from all our noble kings and progenitors, as being
t