the part of Bailie M'Lucre, who had again got himself most sickerly
installed in the guildry. Sundry tacks came to an end in this year
of eighty-eight; and among others, the Niggerbrae park, which, lying
at a commodious distance from the town, might have been relet with a
rise and advantage. But what did the dean of guild do? He, in some
secret and clandestine manner, gave a hint to my lord's factor to
make an offer for the park on a two nineteen years' lease, at the
rent then going--the which was done in my lord's name, his lordship
being then provost. The Niggerbrae was accordingly let to him, at
the same rent which the town received for it in the sixty-nine.
Nothing could be more manifest than that there was some jookerie
cookerie in this affair; but in what manner it was done, or how the
dean of guild's benefit was to ensue, no one could tell, and few
were able to conjecture; for my lord was sorely straitened for
money, and had nothing to spare out of hand. However, towards the
end of the year, a light broke in upon us.

Gabriel M'Lucre, the dean of guild's fifth son, a fine spirited
laddie, somehow got suddenly a cadetcy to go to India; and there
were uncharitably-minded persons, who said, that this was the
payment for the Niggerbrae job to my lord. The outcry, in
consequence, both against the dean of guild, and especially against
the magistrates and council for consenting thereto, was so
extraordinary, and I was so openly upbraided for being so long
lukewarm, that I was, in a manner, forced again forward to take a
prominent part; but I took good care to let it be well known, that,
in resuming my public faculties, I was resolved to take my own way,
and to introduce a new method and reformation into all our concerns.
Accordingly, at the Michaelmas following, that is, in the eighty-
nine, I was a second time chosen to the provostry, with an