ergeon that you
wot of for four hundred marks to the English Warden of the East Marches,
Sir Magnus Redman. He scarce scrupled a penny after I gave him leave to
try a sword dint upon it. The beggardly Highland thief who bespoke it
boggled at half the sum, though it had cost me a year's labour."

"What dost thou start at, Conachar?" said Simon, addressing himself, by
way of parenthesis, to the mountain disciple; "wilt thou never learn to
mind thy own business, without listening to what is passing round
thee? What is it to thee that an Englishman thinks that cheap which a
Scottishman may hold dear?"

Conachar turned round to speak, but, after a moment's consideration,
looked down, and endeavoured to recover his composure, which had been
deranged by the contemptuous manner in which the smith had spoken of his
Highland customer.

Henry went on without paying any attention to him. "I sold at high
prices some swords and whingers when I was at Edinburgh. They expect war
there; and if it please God to send it, my merchandise will be worth its
price. St. Dunstan make us thankful, for he was of our craft. In short,
this fellow (laying his hand on his purse); who, thou knowest, father,
was somewhat lank and low in condition when I set out four months since,
is now as round and full as a six weeks' porker."

"And that other leathern sheathed, iron hilted fellow who hangs beside
him," said the glover, "has he been idle all this while? Come, jolly
smith, confess the truth--how many brawls hast thou had since crossing
the Tay?"

"Nay, now you do me wrong, father, to ask me such a question (glancing
a look at Catharine) in such a presence," answered the armourer: "I
make swords, indeed, but I leave it to other people to use them. No--no,
seldom have I a naked sword in my fist, save when I am turning them
on the anvil or grindstone; and they slandered me to your daughter
Catharine, that led her to suspect the quietest burgess in Perth of
being a brawler. I wish the best of them would dare say such a word at
the Hill of Kinnoul, and never a man on the green but he and I."

"Ay--ay," said the glover, laughing, "we should then have a fine sample
of your patient sufferance. Out upon you, Henry, that you will speak so
like a knave to one who knows thee so well! You look at Kate, too, as if
she did not know that a man in this country must make his hand keep his
head, unless he will sleep in slender security. Come--come, beshrew me
if t