flew to the
apartment in which he had left Miss Adair, and, enfolding her in his arms,
in a transport of joy, informed her that he had obtained her father's
consent to their union, and concluded by asking her to name the day which
should make her his for ever. This, however, being rather too summary a
proceeding, Rosina declined; and Mr Mowbray was obliged to be content with
a promise of the matter being taken into consideration on an early day.

Leaving the lovers in discussion on these very agreeable points, and others
connected therewith, we will follow Mr Adair on the errand on which he
went, after Mr Mowbray had left him. This was to communicate to his wife
the unexpected and important proposal which had just been made to him, and
to which he had just acceded.

"Weel, guidwife, here's a queer business," said Mr Adair, on joining his
thrifty helpmate, who was busy at the moment in scouring a set of milk
dishes. "What do ye think? Mr Mowbray has just noo asked my consent to his
marrying Rosy. Now, isna that a queer affair! My feth, but they maun hae
managed matters unco cannily and cunningly; for deil a bit o' me ever could
see the least inklin o' anything past ordinar between them."

"You see onything o' that kind!" replied Mrs Adair, with an expression of
the greatest contempt for her husband's penetration in _affaires de
coeur_. "You see't, Robin! No--I dare say no. Although they were sitting
under your very nose, wi' their arms aboot ithers' necks, I dinna believe
ye wad see that there was onything in't. But, though ye didna see't, Robin,
I saw't--and plainly enough, too--although I said naething about it. I saw,
mony a day sin', that Mr Mowbray had a notion o' Rosy; and, if truth be
tell't, I saw as weel that she had a notion o' him, and hae lang expected
that it wad come to this."

"Weel, weel, guidwife, ye hae a glegger ee for thae things than I hae,"
replied Mr Adair. "But here's the end o' the matter noo."

"And hae ye gien your consent, Robin?"

"'Deed hae I; for I think he's an honest, decent lad; and, no to say he's
rich maybe, fair aneuch aff, I think, as to worldly matters."

"As to that, I daresay, there's naething far amiss," replied Mrs Adair,
"nor as regards his character either, maybe; but I'm no sure. I dinna ken,
Robert, considerin a' things, if ye haena been a wee owre rash in giein
your consent to this business. It's a serious affair. And, after a', we ken
but little about the lad; altho