.

Sir Patrick Charteris had not forgotten his promise to communicate to
the smith the plans of the fugitives. But, amid the bustle occasioned by
the movement of troops, he could not himself convey the intelligence.
He therefore entrusted to his agent, Kitt Henshaw, the task of making it
known. But this worthy person, as the reader knows, was in the interest
of Ramorny, whose business it was to conceal from every one, but
especially from a lover so active and daring as Henry, the real place of
Catharine's residence. Henshaw therefore announced to the anxious smith
that his friend the glover was secure in the Highlands; and though he
affected to be more reserved on the subject of Catharine, he said little
to contradict the belief that she as well as Simon shared the protection
of the Clan Quhele. But he reiterated, in the name of Sir Patrick,
assurances that father and daughter were both well, and that Henry would
best consult his own interest and their safety by remaining quiet and
waiting the course of events.

With an agonized heart, therefore, Henry Gow determined to remain quiet
till he had more certain intelligence, and employed himself in finishing
a shirt of mail, which he intended should be the best tempered and the
most finely polished that his skilful hands had ever executed. This
exercise of his craft pleased him better than any other occupation which
he could have adopted, and served as an apology for secluding himself
in his workshop, and shunning society, where the idle reports which were
daily circulated served only to perplex and disturb him. He resolved to
trust in the warm regard of Simon, the faith of his daughter, and the
friendship of the provost, who, having so highly commended his valour
in the combat with Bonthron, would never, he thought, desert him at this
extremity of his fortunes. Time, however, passed on day by day; and
it was not till Palm Sunday was near approaching, that Sir Patrick
Charteris, having entered the city to make some arrangements for the
ensuing combat, bethought himself of making a visit to the Smith of the
Wynd.

He entered his workshop with an air of sympathy unusual to him, and
which made Henry instantly augur that he brought bad news. The smith
caught the alarm, and the uplifted hammer was arrested in its descent
upon the heated iron, while the agitated arm that wielded it, strong
before as that of a giant, became so powerless, that it was with
difficulty Henry was ab