very one is beholden to
take a part, and he thought it was his duty to side with the chief
magistrate.

Having convinced the bailie that Mr Pittle had already, as it were, a
sort of infeoffment in the kirk, I called in the evening on my old
predecessor in the guildry, Bailie M'Lucre, who was not a hand to be so
easily dealt with; but I knew his inclinations, and therefore I resolved
to go roundly to work with him. So I asked him out to take a walk, and I
led him towards the town-moor, conversing loosely about one thing and
another, and touching softly here and there on the vacancy.

When we were well on into the middle of the moor, I stopped, and, looking
round me, said, "Bailie, surely it's a great neglec of the magistrates
and council to let this braw broad piece of land, so near the town, lie
in a state o' nature, and giving pasturage to only twa-three of the poor
folk's cows. I wonder you, that's now a rich man, and with eyne worth
pearls and diamonds, that ye dinna think of asking a tack of this land;
ye might make a great thing o't."

The fish nibbled, and told me that he had for some time entertained a
thought on the subject; but he was afraid that I would be overly
extortionate.

"I wonder to hear you, bailie," said I; "I trust and hope no one will
ever find me out of the way of justice; and to convince you that I can do
a friendly turn, I'll no objec to gie you a' my influence free gratis, if
ye'll gie Mr Pittle a lift into the kirk; for, to be plain with you, the
worthy young man, who, as ye heard to-day, is no without an ability, has
long been fond of Mrs Pawkie's cousin, Miss Lizy Pinky; and I would fain
do all that lies in my power to help on the match."

The bailie was well pleased with my frankness, and before returning home
we came to a satisfactory understanding; so that the next thing I had to
do, was to see Mr Pittle himself on the subject. Accordingly, in the
gloaming, I went over to where he stayed: it was with Miss Jenny
Killfuddy, an elderly maiden lady, whose father was the minister of
Braehill, and the same that is spoken of in the chronicle of Dalmailing,
as having had his eye almost put out by a clash of glaur, at the stormy
placing of Mr Balwhidder.

"Mr Pittle," said I, as soon as I was in and the door closed. "I'm come
to you as a friend; both Mrs Pawkie and me have long discerned that ye
have had a look more than common towards our friend, Miss Lizy, and we
think it our duty to