“Kate! I dare say you think this is all tender-heartedness, and you give yourself a great deal of credit for it! But I tell you it’s nothing but weakness. And it may be the ruin of you, too, before long. And now I tell you, I’m going to get a place for you, if I can. Yes, and make you go to it, too. I can do without you—that is, I _must_ do without you! I can get the breakfast before I go away in the morning. And I can leave something for the old man’s dinner, and come home time enough in the evening to get his supper! And to-morrow I am going down to the turnpike gate to thrash Scroggings, and bring your bonnet home. And I’ll tell him if ever he lets the old man have any more liquor, I’ll kick him round his groggery till he hasn’t got a whole bone left in his body. Yes, and I’ll do it, too!” Kate was placing the supper on the table, but she turned, with the same expression of countenance with which she had stopped Fairfax at the foot of the stairs, and said— “I should be very sorry for any violence from you, Carl. But of one thing be sure—do what you may, I will never, _never_ leave our grandfather!” “There! now, whenever you get that hateful Maria Theresa look, I _hate_ you, Katterin! I hate to see strength in women! It don’t belong to them, nor grace them, anyhow!” “Strength of _affection_ does, Carl. But now please call the gentlemen down to supper,” said Kate. Carl rapped at the foot of the ladder, and summoned the travellers accordingly. Now, though Fairfax had honorably withdrawn from the trap-door, the moment he found that his services would not be required, and that the conversation between Kate and Carl was growing confidential, yet every word of that conversation had been distinctly heard by both young men, and had produced an effect upon both. Frank with difficulty withheld himself from exclaiming aloud, as pity, disgust, anger or approbation moved him in turn. Captain Clifton, far less impressible, and more reserved than his companion, had remained perfectly quiet and silent, though his thoughts were more practically busy with the case than those of his companion. They went down, and were received at the foot of the ladder by Carl, who, with a sort of rough politeness, placed stools at the table, and invited them to be seated. They placed themselves at the board, at the head of which Kate already presided, with folded hands and downcast eyes. Then to their utter astonishment, the rude, irreverent young man, Carl, stood up and asked a blessing, saying, afterwards, that he was no parson, nor no Methodist, but Kate would have it so, and he thought it was best upon the whole, not to oppose females in such notions, And then he began to wait upon his guests.