t the devil is the matter, James?'

'The devil may be in the matter, for aught I ken,' said James, with
another provoking grin; 'for here has been a woman calling for you,
Maister Alan.'

'A woman calling for me?' said I in surprise; for you know well, that
excepting old Aunt Peggy, who comes to dinner of a Sunday, and the
still older Lady Bedrooket, who calls ten times a year for the
quarterly payment of her jointure of four hundred merks, a female scarce
approaches our threshold, as my father visits all his female clients at
their own lodgings. James protested, however, that there had been a
lady calling, and for me. 'As bonny a lass as I have seen,' added James,
'since I was in the Fusileers, and kept company with Peg Baxter.' Thou
knowest all James's gay recollections go back to the period of his
military service, the years he has spent in ours having probably been
dull enough.

'Did the lady leave no name nor place of address?'

'No,' replied James; 'but she asked when you wad be at hame, and I
appointed her for twelve o'clock, when the house wad be quiet, and your
father at the Bank.'

'For shame, James! how can you think my father's being at home or abroad
could be of consequence?--The lady is of course a decent person?'

'I'se uphaud her that, sir--she is nane of your--WHEW'--(Here James
supplied a blank with a low whistle)--'but I didna ken--my maister makes
an unco wark if a woman comes here.'

I passed into my own room, not ill-pleased that my father was absent,
notwithstanding I had thought it proper to rebuke James for having so
contrived it, I disarranged my books, to give them the appearance of a
graceful confusion on the table, and laying my foils (useless since your
departure) across the mantelpiece, that the lady might see I was TAM
MARTE QUAM MERCURIO--I endeavoured to dispose my dress so as to resemble
an elegant morning deshabille--gave my hair the general shade of powder
which marks the gentleman--laid my watch and seals on the table, to
hint that I understood the value of time;--and when I had made all these
arrangements, of which I am a little ashamed when I think of them, I had
nothing better to do than to watch the dial-plate till the index
pointed to noon. Five minutes elapsed, which. I allowed for variation
of clocks--five minutes more rendered me anxious and doubtful--and five
minutes more would have made me impatient.

Laugh as thou wilt; but remember, Darsie, I was a lawyer, expec