Even M'Corkindale was hipped. I own I was surprised at this, for I knew of old the indefatigable spirit and keen energy of my friend, and I thought that with such a stake as he had in the contest, he would even have redoubled his exertions. Such, however, was not the case. I pass over the proceedings at the poll. From a very early hour it became perfectly evident that my chance was utterly gone; and, indeed, had it been possible, I should have left Dreepdaily before the close. At four o'clock the numbers stood thus:-- DREEPDAILY. DROUTHIELAW. KITTLEWEEM. DOUGLAS, 94 63 192 POZZLETHWAITE, 59 73 21 DUNSHUNNER, 72 19 7 Majority for DOUGLAS, 196. We had an awful scene in the Committee-room. Gills, who had been drinking all day, shed copious floods of tears; Shanks was disconsolate; and M'Auslan refused to be comforted. Of course I gave the usual pledge, that on the very first opportunity I should come forward again to reassert the independence of the burghs, now infamously sacrificed to a Conservative; but the cheering at this announcement was of the very faintest description, and I doubt whether any one believed me. Two hours afterwards I was miles away from Dreepdaily. I have since had letters from that place, which inform me that the Clique is utterly discomfited; that for some days the component members of it might be seen wandering through the streets, and pouring their husky sorrows into the ears of every stray listener whom they could find, until they became a positive nuisance. My best champion, however, was the Editor of the Patriot. That noble and dauntless individual continued for weeks afterwards to pour forth Jeremiads upon my defeat, and stigmatised my opponents and their supporters as knaves, miscreants, and nincompoops. I was, he maintained, the victim of a base conspiracy, and the degraded town of Dreepdaily would never be able thereafter to rear its polluted head in the Royal Convention of Burghs. Whilst these things were going on in Dreepdaily, I was closeted with M'Corkindale in Glasgow. "So, then, you have lost your election," said he. "And you have lost your wife." "Neither of the two accidents appear to be irreparable," replied Robert. "How so? Do you still think of Miss Binkie?" "By no means. I made some little inquiry the day before the election, and discovered that a certain nest-egg was enormously exaggerated, if not altogether fictitious." "Well, Bob, there is certainly nobody like yourself for getting information." "I do my best. May I inquire into the nature of your future movements?" "I have not yet made up my mind. These election matters put every thing else out of one's head. Let me see--August is approaching, and I half promised the Captain of M'Alcohol to spend a few weeks with him at his shooting-quarters."