ife against every sprig of chivalry in the court of
Scotland."

"And if I did not," said Henry, thrusting out a hand and arm which might
have belonged to a giant for bone and muscle, "I would I may never bring
hammer upon anvil again! Ay, an it were come but that length, my fair
Catharine should see that there is no harm in a man having the trick of
defence. But I believe she thinks the whole world is one great minster
church, and that all who live in it should behave as if they were at an
eternal mass."

"Nay, in truth," said the father, "she has strange influence over those
who approach her; the Highland lad, Conachar, with whom I have been
troubled for these two or three years, although you may see he has the
natural spirit of his people, obeys the least sign which Catharine makes
him, and, indeed, will hardly be ruled by any one else in the house. She
takes much pains with him to bring him from his rude Highland habits."

Here Harry Smith became uneasy in his chair, lifted the flagon, set it
down, and at length exclaimed: "The devil take the young Highland whelp
and his whole kindred! What has Catharine to do to instruct such a
fellow as he? He will be just like the wolf cub that I was fool enough
to train to the offices of a dog, and every one thought him reclaimed,
till, in an ill hour, I went to walk on the hill of Moncrieff, when he
broke loose on the laird's flock, and made a havoc that I might well
have rued, had the laird not wanted a harness at the time. And I marvel
that you, being a sensible man, father Glover, will keep this Highland
young fellow--a likely one, I promise you--so nigh to Catharine, as
if there were no other than your daughter to serve him for a
schoolmistress."

"Fie, my son--fie; now you are jealous," said Simon, "of a poor young
fellow who, to tell you the truth, resides here because he may not so
well live on the other side of the hill."

"Ay--ay, father Simon," retorted the smith, who had all the narrow
minded feelings of the burghers of his time, "an it were not for fear
of offence, I would say that you have even too much packing and peiling
with yonder loons out of burgh."

"I must get my deer hides, buckskins, kidskins, and so forth somewhere,
my good Harry, and Highlandmen give good bargains."

"They can afford them," replied Henry, drily, "for they sell nothing but
stolen gear."

"Well--well, be that as it may, it is not my business where they get
the bestial, so I get t