'But, madam, you are mistaken, if you suppose me to be your husband. I never saw you in my life before: and you must or ought to know, from my appearance,

that I am not the man.'

"Eh, did ony body ever hear the like o' that?' she exclaimed; to gang and say that you are no my man after a'! The very bairn here our ain young Wully-wad ken ye, let-a-bee mysel, if it hadna been that he was only a sookin' wean when ye gaed awa.' And here she pointed to a member of the company whom I had not before observed-namely, a boy of about five years old, who was making strenuous efforts to get hold of my epaulets, as they lay on the table, fortunately beyond his reach.

If this is your son, ma'am,' said I, 'I think he is rather a witness against than for you, as he shews that it must be several years since you were married. Now, I am only nineteen last birthday, and so far from being married years ago, I do not intend to be married for years to

come.'

Ah, but ye're my ain Wully for a' that,' said she: 'nae doot something different fra what ye was whan ye keepit the 'pothecary shop i' the Stockwell; but then it's only your braws that hae changed ye. We a' ken that fine feathers mak fine birds, and that, in fack, as Jenny Haivers says, dress is everything. I'm no sure but some o' my ain auld neebors wad scarcely ken me, noo that I'm a dressed-up offisher's leddy. But ye've just the same bonny dark hair and whuskers that ever ye had, and the vera same rollin ee that first wan my puir virgin heart, waes me, that hae been a deserted meeserable woman for four lang year for want o' ye. Ah, Wully, it was an ill turn to gang awa leavin wife and bairns to tak care o' theirsels, and scarcely write a scrape o' a pen to me sin' sync. But let a' byganes be byganes, noo that I've gotten my Wully again, as the sang says. Somehoo, I aye thought ye wad get on to be something after a', for ye had aye a notion o' being up in the warld; and glad am Į to find that I hinna been mista'en.'

All this was addressed to me with such an accompaniment of coaxing and ingratiating looks, winks, and smiles, as would have at any other time made me expire with laughing. Alas! I felt but little disposition to mirth at that moment. Like Frankenstein, when visited at home by his monster, I could think of no better course than to leave my tormentor in possession of the field. It happened, too, that I was engaged that morning to breakfast with Major Ellis, commanding-officer at our depôt, and to accompany him afterwards upon a shooting excursion. There was, therefore, little time to argue out the matter with my new Glasgow friend, or to take measures of any other kind to assure her of her error, or to get quit of her. This led me to a wrong step, which I afterwards had reason to repent of, though I did it for the best. With the hope of keeping her absurd story quiet, I asked her to remain in my lodgings till my return, under the care of Duval, who undertook to get breakfast ready immediately for her and her little boy. Then hastily accoutering myself for the field, I proceeded to Ellis's lodgings.

In the course of our forenoon's walk, Ellis shot beautifully, and quickly filled his bag; but I, though reputed his equal, missed every bird I aimed at. This excited his surprise, and in connection with sundry other marks of confusion in my conduct, induced him to ask if anything was the matter with me. I had previously determined to keep my own secret, but it now occurred to me that it might be as well to make a confidant of the major, as it was not impossible that he might yet have something more to do with the case. I therefore related to him the whole circumstances, only entreating that he would not communicate them to Mrs Ellis, or to any other person, unless as a corrective to any less faithful version of the story which might become public. He agreed to this, and we returned late in the morning to dress for mess. Inquiring for my unlucky visitor, I was informed by Duval that Madam Martyn-I think the rogue's eye twinkled as he pronounced the name had left my rooms soon after breakfast, and had not since returned.

It was almost with satisfaction that I found the immediate presence of the incubus taken off; but I could not suppress a dread that worse was yet to befall me. No sooner had I entered the ante-chamber which served our mess as a drawing-room, than I became mortifyingly aware that the whole affair was blown abroad. My appearance was the signal for a universal peal of laughter, in which Major Ellis himself could not help joining. Inquiries after Mrs Martyn's health, comments on her youth, beauty, and elegant style of speech, met me on every side. I was overwhelmed and stunned, insomuch that I scarcely knew which of my foes to face or reply to, or whether it would be most advisable to treat the matter seriously, or to take it as a joke. As the dinner proceeded, I heard nothing but lamentations that they were likely so soon to lose me as a regular member of the mess; but all agreed, with mock solemnity, that husbands ought to dine with their wives, if wives they had, and that many officers were improved by domestic life, though it was not the case with all. I soon ascertained that the fearful woman, on leaving my lodgings, had found her way to the quarters of the commandingofficer, where, Ellis himself being from home, she had obtained an interview with Mrs Ellis, and made her acquainted with the story, following it up with the most strenuous averments that I was her missing husband, with no change but what dress and improved manners might easily account for. Mrs Ellis, a sharp, lively Irishwoman, fond of a joke, and rather held in terror on that account in the regiment, took up the case in a moment, and with a serious air assured the stranger that there was no fear but Ellis would see her righted, supposing that she could make good her claim. Though of course feeling no doubt of my innocence, she could not suppress so glorious a quiz against the fine young ensign, but immediately commenced a round of morningcalls, to laugh it all over with the other ladies of the depôt. In short, long before our return from the shooting excursion, this strange story of young Martyn and

a lady from Glasgow' had been repeated to everybody connected with the regiment.

I returned home that night with a burning heart, furious at my brother-officers, at Mrs Ellis, and, above all, at my odious Scotch visitor. At an early hour next forenoon, I had a note from the major, begging me to step across the way; and when I obeyed the summons, the first object which met my eye in his parlour was the frightful Isabella. Mrs Ellis received me with an affectedly rigid and serious air, as if she felt that things were looking very bad for me; and even Ellis was scarcely so cordial as usual. I saw that I was to be put upon trial, but thought it best to submit to the inquest with a good grace.

'Well, Martyn, this is really a strange circumstance. Here comes a lady'—a slight elevation of the eyebrows at the word lady-from Glasgow, to join you as your lawful wife. She insists that you are her husband, and I must say it is odd that you should have written a letter acknowledging her as your lady, and requesting her to come to you. I know you say that you thought her epistle a hoax of your brother-officers; but how am I to be sure of this?'

I could not believe him half in earnest; but his address was annoying in any shape in which I could take it, and I hardly knew how to treat the matter, so ridiculous at once and so serious had it become.

I

'I assure you, my dear major,' I said, that I have given you a candid account of the affair of the letter. wish my hand had been burnt when I wrote it; but certainly it was only with a view to turn back a tad joke upon its authors. If it has been the means of bringing this lady so far from home, I am sorry for it, and I shall be happy to make a proper reparation for the consequences of my unlucky jeu d'esprit.

Aih, ye're just my ain Wully, now,' interrupted the fair claimant, or plaintiff, as I may rather call her in the present circumstanees. Come, come, my dear, acknowledge me for your leddy at ance, and make nae mair

6

wark about it. Aih, Wully, Wully, did I ever think to be disowned by ye, when lang syne ye used to court me on the Sunday nights, walking along the Gallowgate, or when we were livin' sae cozily in our bit back-shop in the Stockwell after we were married? It has been a sair weediehood to me sin' syne, this four lang year; but ye'll mak' it a' up to me yet. And the bairns, puir things, we'll hae them a' brought here, and they'll be sae glad to see their papa again. The best o' our days are afore us, Wully, my dear, if ye'll only listen to reason, and own me for your lawfu' wedded wife, as I am.'

'Come now, Martyn,' said Mrs Ellis, with the face which I knew she always had when bent on tormenting any poor wretch with her wit; if this lady is really Mrs Martyn, why not say so at once? We'll all be glad to see her in the regiment; and consider what a lot of young recruits she brings with her! I must say her story tells wonderfully well; and I would say it is most likely you really are her husband, as I never yet knew any wife who might not have sung, as Mrs Gordon sometimes does

Weel would I my true love ken,

Amang ten thousand Highlandmen.

Certainly she should know best. And really, it would be a great hardship to have come all the way from Glasgow, in search of a missing husband, and not get him after all. I fairly let you know I'm of Mrs Martyn's party.'

My dear Mrs Ellis,' said I imploringly, this is really no jesting matter, for the poor woman has surely been sufficiently deceived already. Upon my soul, I'm sorry for her, and I'll give her enough to pay for the expenses of this expedition, and a little more, if she'll only agree to go back and trouble me no more. My family is not known to any one here; but I have only to write to Cheltenham to get evidence of my having been a boy at Sandhurst at the time when this lady alleges I was keeping shop with her in some confounded street in Glasgow.'