n of guild knew nothing of our correspondence,
nor was it required that he should. However, when he saw my lord's
franking, he said, "Are the boroughs, then, really and truly to be
contested?"

"Come into the shop, Mr M'Lucre," said I sedately; "come in, and hear
what I have to say."

And he came in, and I shut and barred the half-door, in order that we
might not be suddenly interrupted.

"You are a man of experience, Mr M'Lucre," said I, "and have a knowledge
of the world, that a young man, like me, would be a fool to pretend to.
But I have shown you enough to convince you that I would not be worthy of
a trust, were I to answer any improper questions. Ye maun, therefore,
gie me some small credit for a little discretion in this matter, while I
put a question to yourself. 'Is there no a possibility of getting you
made the provost at Michaelmas, or, at the very least, a bailie, to the
end that ye might be chosen delegate, it being an unusual thing for
anybody under the degree of a bailie to be chosen thereto?'"

"I have been so long in the guildry," was his thoughtful reply, "that I
fear it canna be very well managed without me."

"Mr M'Lucre," said I, and I took him cordially by the hand, "a thought
has just entered my head. Couldna we manage this matter between us? It's
true I'm but a novice in public affairs, and with the mystery of the
guildry quite unacquaint--if, however, you could be persuaded to allow
yourself to be made a bailie, I would, subject to your directions,
undertake the office of dean of guild, and all this might be so concerted
between us, that nobody would ken the nature of our paction--for, to be
plain with you, it's no to be hoped that such a young counsellor as
myself can reasonably expect to be raised, so soon as next Michaelmas, to
the magistracy, and there is not another in the council that I would like
to see chosen delegate at the election but yourself."

Mr M'Lucre swithered a little at this, fearing to part with the bird 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 an