Highlanders," said Catharine,
firmly; "especially as I thought Conachar was with them. Conachar has
drunk of our cup and eaten of our bread; and my father has often had
traffic with Highlanders, and never was there wrong or quarrel betwixt
him and them."

"No?" replied Hector, for such is the Saxon equivalent for Eachin,
"what! never when he took the part of the Gow Chrom (the bandy legged
smith) against Eachin MacIan? Say nothing to excuse it, and believe it
will be your own fault if I ever again allude to it. But you had some
command to lay upon me; speak, and you shall be obeyed."

Catharine hastened to reply; for there was something in the young
chief's manner and language which made her desire to shorten the
interview.

"Eachin," she said, "since Conachar is no longer your name, you ought
to be sensible that in claiming, as I honestly might, a service from my
equal, I little thought that I was addressing a person of such superior
power and consequence. You, as well as I, have been obliged to the
religious instruction of this good man. He is now in great danger:
wicked men have accused him with false charges, and he is desirous to
remain in safety and concealment till the storm shall pass away."

"Ha! the good clerk Clement! Ay, the worthy clerk did much for me, and
more than my rugged temper was capable to profit by. I will be glad to
see any one in the town of Perth persecute one who hath taken hold of
MacIan's mantle!"

"It may not be safe to trust too much to that," said Catharine. "I
nothing doubt the power of your tribe; but when the Black Douglas takes
up a feud, he is not to be scared by the shaking of a Highland plaid."

The Highlander disguised his displeasure at this speech with a forced
laugh.

"The sparrow," he said, "that is next the eye seems larger than the
eagle that is perched on Bengoile. You fear the Douglasses most, because
they sit next to you. But be it as you will. You will not believe how
wide our hills, and vales, and forests extend beyond the dusky barrier
of yonder mountains, and you think all the world lies on the banks of
the Tay. But this good clerk shall see hills that could hide him were
all the Douglasses on his quest--ay, and he shall see men enough also
to make them glad to get once more southward of the Grampians. And
wherefore should you not go with the good man? I will send a party to
bring him in safety from Perth, and we will set up the old trade beyond
Loch Tay--onl