Yet, for myself, my escapades had been harmless enough--a pretty maid kissed at a quilting, perhaps; another courted lightly at a barn-romp; a laughing tavern wench caressed en passant, but no evil thought of it and nothing to regret--no need to remember aught that could start a tear in any woman's eyes. Watts said to Claudia: "There is a maid at Caughnawaga who serves old Douw Fonda--a Scotch girl, who might serve you as well as Flora cares for my sister." "Penelope Grant!" exclaims Hare with an oath. Whereat these three young men fell a-laughing, and even Sir John leered. I had heard her name and that the careless young gallants of the country were all after this young Scotch girl, servant to Douw Fonda--but I had never seen her. "She lives with the old gentleman, does she not?" inquired Claudia with a shrug. "She cares for him, dresses him, cooks for him, reads to him, sews, mends, lights him to bed and tucks him in," said Hare. "My God, what a wife she'd make for a farmer! Or a mistress for a gentleman." "A wench I would employ very gladly," quoth Claudia, frowning. "Could you get her ear, Jack, and fetch her?" "Take her from Douw Fonda?" I exclaimed in surprise. "The old man is like to die any moment," remarked Watts. "Besides," said Moucher, "he has scores of kinsmen and their women to take him in charge." "She's a pretty bit o' baggage," said Sir John drunkenly. "If you but kiss the little slut she looks at you like a silly kitten, and, I think, with no more sense or comprehension." Captain Watts darted an angry look at his brother-in-law but said nothing. Lady Johnson's features were burning and her lip quivered, but she forced a laugh, saying that her husband could have judged only by hearsay, and that the Scotch girl's reputation was still very good in the country. "Somebody'll get her," retorted Sir John, thickly, "for they're all a-pestering--Walter Butler, too, when he was here,--and your brother, and Hare and Moucher yonder. The little slut has yellow hair, but she's too damned thin!----" he hiccoughed and upset his wine; and a servant wiped his neck-cloth and his silk and silver waistcoat while he, with wagging and unsteady head, gazed gravely down at the damage done. Claudia set her lips to my ear: "The beast!--to affront his wife!" she whispered. "Tell me, do you, also, go about your rustic gallantries in the shameful manner of these educated and Christian gentlemen?" "I seek no woman's destruction," said I drily. "Not even mine?" She laughed as I reddened, and tapped me with her fan. "If our young men do not turn this Scotch girl's head with their philandering, send her to me and I will use her kindly." "You would not seduce her from an old and almost helpless man who needs her?" I demanded.