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."