a
mirthful character, and that the badinage of Jones fully supported, in
point and brilliancy, the credit of his other kindred qualifications.
After some time, he returned to his party, and again took his seat
beside the laird; who, on his doing so, remarked--

"Feth, sir, ye seem as guid a hand at botherin the lasses as your
master. It's in the family, I think."

A roar of laughter succeeded this sally, to which Jones himself was one
of the largest contributors, although it was certainly mingled with some
embarrassment of manner. From this embarrassment, however, he was
unexpectedly relieved by the strains of a wandering minstrel, which
suddenly rose from the street, just underneath the window of the kitchen
of the Drouthsloken. As these strains were of no ordinary excellence,
they instantly attracted the attention of all in the apartment,
inclusive of the landlord's two fair daughters, one of whom in especial
(Juliana) evinced, by her flurried and agitated manner, a greater
interest in the presence of the minstrel than would have been warranted
on the supposition that it was merely accidental. Her confusion,
however, and the consciousness which it implied of a knowledge exceeding
that of those around her, passed undiscovered by all except Jones, whose
more vigilant eye detected these symptoms of secret and mysterious
understanding. He made no remark, however, on the subject; and carefully
concealed his discovery, not only from the rest of the party, but from
her who was the object of his mental speculations. Having concluded his
serenade, or at least its first department, which consisted, first, of a
preliminary flourish on a violin, executed with great spirit and
felicity, and then of a song, accompanied by the instrument, sung in a
peculiarly deep-toned, but exceedingly melodious, voice, the minstrel
ceased for a few seconds, when Jones proposed that he should be invited
in; and that, if he proved merely a gallant, he should be asked to a
glass of wine; and if he turned out a professional performer, who came
in the exercise of his vocation, he should be requested to entertain
them with his music within-doors. To this proposal a general assent was
at once given; and this assent was immediately followed by the
proceeding proper to its fulfilment. Three or four of the party, headed
by Jones, instantly rushed out, and surrounded the astonished minstrel
before he was aware. At first he discovered symptoms of a desire to