nd, hastening to a cupboard,
she took out and placed on the table a flagon and two cups, the latter
of which she filled.

"Rest to the souls of the men I have slain!" said she, laughing, as she
lifted the wine cup to her head, while her father was performing the
same act.

"What! did ye kill ony o' Otterstone's men?" said Innerkepple.

"Every time I lifted up my visor," replied she, "I scattered death
around me. Ha! ha! what fools men are! Their bodies are tenantless; we
women are the souls that live outside of them, and take up our residence
within their clayey precincts only when we have an object to serve. The
tourney has taught me the power of our sex; and there I have thrown my
spirit into the man I hated, to gratify my humour by seeing him, poor
caitiff! as he caught my hazel eye, writhe and wring, and contort
himself into all the attitudes of Proteus."

"Wicked imp!" said Innerkepple, laughing.

"And when he had sufficiently twisted himself," continued she, "I have,
with a grave face given the same hazel eye to his opponent, and set his
body in motion in the same way. The serpent-charmer is nothing to a
woman. By this art, I to-day gained the victory; and I'll stake my
auburn toupee against thy grey wig, that I beat, in the same way, the
boldest baron of the Borders."

"By the faith o' Innerkepple, ye're no blate, Kate!" said the old baron,
still laughing; "but come, let us see our wounded men"--taking his
daughter's arm.

"Leave their wounds to me, father," said she. "The sting of the
tarantula is cured by an old song. We women are the true leeches;
doctors are quacks and medicasters to us. We kill and cure like the
Delphic sword, which makes wounds and heals them by alternate strokes."

"Ever at your quips, roisterer," said Innerkepple, as they arrived at
the court.

The wounded men had been brought in, and were consigned to the care of
one of the retainers, skilled in medicine, Katherine's medicaments--her
looks and tones--being reserved for a balsamic application, after the
wounds were cicatrized. The other retainers were, meanwhile, busy in
consultation, as might have been seen by their congregating into
parties, talking low, and throwing looks at Innerkepple and his fair
daughter, as they stood on the steps of the inner door of the castle.

"The guerdon! the guerdon!" at last said one of the vassals, advancing
and throwing himself at the feet of Kate.

"Ha! ha! I forgot," replied she laughing;