Helen mused for some time, and seemed to decide instantly upon the course of action she should pursue, or, rather, the course which she had previously proposed to herself.  She saw clearly, and had long known that in the tactics and stratagems of life, her blunt but honest father was no match at all for the deep hypocrisy and deceitful plausibility of Sir Robert Whitecraft, the consequence was, that she allowed her father to take his own way, without either remonstrance or contradiction.  She knew very well that on this occasion, as on every other where their wits and wishes came in opposition, Sir Robert was always able to outgeneral and overreach him; she therefore resolved to agitate herself as little as possible, and to allow matters to flow on tranquilly, until the crisis—­the moment for action came.

“Papa,” she replied, “this intelligence must make your mind very easy; I hope, however, you will restore poor faithful Connor to me.  I never had such an affectionate and kind creature; and, besides, not one of them could dress me with such skill and taste as she could.  Will you allow me to have her back, sir?”

“I will, Helen; but take care she doesn’t make a Papist of you.”

“Indeed, papa, that is a strange whim:  why, the poor girl never opened her lips to me on the subject of religion during her life; nor, if I saw that she attempted it, would I permit her.  I am no theologian, papa, and detest polemics, because I have always heard that those who are most addicted to polemical controversy have least religion.”

“Well, my love, you shall have back poor Connor; and now I must go and look over some papers in my study.  Good-by, my love; and observe, Helen, don’t stay out too late in the garden, lest the chill of the air might injure your health.”

“But you know I never do, and never did, papa.”

“Well, good-by again, my love.”

He then left her, and withdrew to his study to sign some papers, and transact some business, which he had allowed to run into arrear.  When he had been there better than an hour, he rang the bell, and desired that Malcomson, the gardener, should be sent to him, and that self-sufficient and pedantic person made his appearance accordingly.

“Well, Malcomson,” said he, “how do you like the bearded fellow in the garden?”

“Ou, yer honor, weel eneugh; he does ken something o’ the sceence o’ buttany, an’ ‘am thinkin’ he must hae been a gude spell in Scotland, for I canna guess whare else he could hae become acquent wi’ it.”

“I see Malcomson, you’ll still persist in your confounded pedantry about your science.  Now, what the devil has science to do with botany or gardening?”

“Weel, your honor, it wadna just become me to dispute wi’ ye upon that or any ither subjeck; but for a’ that, it required profoond sceence, and vera extensive learnin’ to classify an’ arrange a’ the plants o’ the yearth, an’ to gie them names, by whilk they dan be known throughout a’ the nations o’ the warld.”