he had in hand; but, in the end, he said, that he thought what was
proposed no out of the way, and that he would have no objection to
be a bailie for the next year, on condition that I would, in the
following, let him again be dean of guild, even though he should be
called a Michaelmas mare, for it did not so well suit him to be a
bailie as to be dean of guild, in which capacity he had been long
used.

I guessed in this that he had a vista in view of the tacks and
leases that were belyve to fall in, and I said -

"Nothing can be more reasonable, Mr M'Lucre; for the office of dean
of guild must be a very fashious one, to folks like me, no skilled
in its particularities; and I'm sure I'll be right glad and willing
to give it up, when we hae got our present turn served.--But to keep
a' things quiet between us, let us no appear till after the election
overly thick; indeed, for a season, we maun fight, as it were, under
different colours."

Thus was the seed sown of a great reformation in the burgh, the
sprouting whereof I purpose to describe in due season.



CHAPTER V--THE FIRST CONTESTED ELECTION



The sough of the dissolution of parliament, during the whole of the
summer, grew stronger and stronger, and Mr M'Lucre and me were