d friend I have always
thought thee. But I have as much friendship for Henry Smith as he for
Oliver Proudfute. I swear by St. John, I will not fight in this
quarrel to thy prejudice; so, having said so, I am beyond the reach of
temptation, since thou wouldst not have me mansworn, though it were to
fight twenty duels."

"Hark thee," said the smith, "acknowledge thou art afraid, Oliver: tell
the honest truth, at once, otherwise I leave thee to make the best of
thy quarrel."

"Nay, good gossip," replied the bonnet maker, "thou knowest I am never
afraid. But, in sooth, this is a desperate ruffian; and as I have a
wife--poor Maudie, thou knowest--and a small family, and thou--"

"And I," interrupted Henry, hastily, "have none, and never shall have."

"Why, truly, such being the case, I would rather thou fought'st this
combat than I."

"Now, by our halidome, gossip," answered the smith, "thou art easily
gored! Know, thou silly fellow, that Sir Patrick Charteris, who is ever
a merry man, hath but jested with thee. Dost thou think he would venture
the honour of the city on thy head, or that I would yield thee the
precedence in which such a matter was to be disputed? Lackaday, go home,
let Maudie tie a warm nightcap on thy head, get thee a warm breakfast
and a cup of distilled waters, and thou wilt be in ease tomorrow to
fight thy wooden dromond, or soldan, as thou call'st him, the only thing
thou wilt ever lay downright blow upon."

"Ay, say'st thou so, comrade?" answered Oliver, much relieved, yet
deeming it necessary to seem in part offended. "I care not for thy
dogged humour; it is well for thee thou canst not wake my patience to
the point of falling foul. Enough--we are gossips, and this house is
thine. Why should the two best blades in Perth clash with each other?
What! I know thy rugged humour, and can forgive it. But is the feud
really soldered up?"

"As completely as ever hammer fixed rivet," said the smith. "The town
hath given the Johnstone a purse of gold, for not ridding them of a
troublesome fellow called Oliver Proudfute, when he had him at his
mercy; and this purse of gold buys for the provost the Sleepless Isle,
which the King grants him, for the King pays all in the long run. And
thus Sir Patrick gets the comely inch which is opposite to his dwelling,
and all honour is saved on both sides, for what is given to the provost
is given, you understand, to the town. Besides all this, the Douglas
hath left Pe