t least an hour after, what does she do but mak
a rin oot, as it war, and what does the king do but kep her, throw his
arms aboot her neck, and gie her a hearty kiss--a reglar royal salute?
And awa gaed the lassie, skirlin like a curlew, half-mad wi' the fricht
an' the honour. But what wad ye hae o't but that ane o' the Covenantin
ministers, wha war then as thick as craws aboot Scone--it bein just like
a rookery wi' the black coats for the time--suld be just at the moment
stanin at a window, in anither apartment that lookit richt into the ane
whar the king had kissed the bit lassie, and saw the hale affair; and
what does he do but report the scandal to his brethren, wha, shocked at
the indecency, appointed a committee o' ministers to reprove the royal
offender! This committee accordingly waited on the king, whan their
spokesman, ane Douglas--an awfu stern man--after rebookin His Majesty,
added, that it wad be prudent o' him, whan he desired to amuse himsel in
future, to be mair carefu in shuttin the windows."

"Capital, laird; capital!" shouted several of the party, in convulsions
of laughter. "Any more--any more?"

"Nay, nay, now, laird," said Jones, laughing, and clapping his hand on
the mouth of the tell-tale; "on your allegiance to your lawful
sovereign, I command ye to silence. He must not, in my presence, be made
a subject of mirth to these idle jesters."

"Tuts, it's but a joke, man; but if ye think it wad offend His Majesty,
I'll say nae mair. I wad suner lose something considerable than do that.
But what the waur can the king be o' it's bein kent that he likes the
lasses? I trow it's rather a feather in his kep than a discredit till
him."

"Well done, laird!" exclaimed Jones, clapping the former jocosely on the
shoulder. "Thou'rt a good old soul; and I shall take care that Charles
knows of thy lenity towards his failings. It will do thee no harm with
him."

Having said this, Jones rose from the table, and went towards the
landlord's daughters, who were still busily occupied, or apparently so,
at any rate, at the further end of the apartment. His approach to these
fair damsels was made in the most gallant fashion imaginable, and with
all the air and manner of a thoroughbred courtier and cavalier. What
conversation passed between him and the girls was not overheard by the
other members of the party; but the frequent bursts of laughter which
were from time to time elicited, sufficiently showed that it was of