ed eight and
twenty.

The family appeared all well pleased with the unexpected appearance of
an old friend. Simon Glover shook his hand again and again, Dorothy made
her compliments, and Catharine herself offered freely her hand, which
Henry held in his massive grasp, as if he designed to carry it to his
lips, but, after a moment's hesitation, desisted, from fear lest the
freedom might be ill taken. Not that there was any resistance on the
part of the little hand which lay passive in his grasp; but there was a
smile mingled with the blush on her cheek, which seemed to increase the
confusion of the gallant.

Her father, on his part, called out frankly, as he saw his friend's
hesitation: "Her lips, man--her lips! and that's a proffer I would not
make to every one who crosses my threshold. But, by good St. Valentine,
whose holyday will dawn tomorrow, I am so glad to see thee in the bonny
city of Perth again that it would be hard to tell the thing I could
refuse thee."

The smith, for, as has been said, such was the craft of this sturdy
artisan, was encouraged modestly to salute the Fair Maid, who yielded
the courtesy with a smile of affection that might have become a sister,
saying, at the same time: "Let me hope that I welcome back to Perth a
repentant and amended man."

He held her hand as if about to answer, then suddenly, as one who lost
courage at the moment, relinquished his grasp; and drawing back as
if afraid of what he had done, his dark countenance glowing with
bashfulness, mixed with delight, he sat down by the fire on the opposite
side from that which Catharine occupied.

"Come, Dorothy, speed thee with the food, old woman; and Conachar--where
is Conachar?"

"He is gone to bed, sir, with a headache," said Catharine, in a
hesitating voice.

"Go, call him, Dorothy," said the old glover; "I will not be used thus
by him: his Highland blood, forsooth, is too gentle to lay a trencher
or spread a napkin, and he expects to enter our ancient and honourable
craft without duly waiting and tending upon his master and teacher in
all matters of lawful obedience. Go, call him, I say; I will not be thus
neglected."

Dorothy was presently heard screaming upstairs, or more probably up a
ladder, to the cock loft, to which the recusant apprentice had made
an untimely retreat; a muttered answer was returned, and soon after
Conachar appeared in the eating apartment. There was a gloom of
deep sullenness on his haughty, th