“I am sorry I have been so short a time in the district, so that I am so imperfectly known to you, but I hope in time to show that I deserve your confidence,” said Francis.

“But what about the ballot?” asked Jamie Howison.

“I have not quite made up my mind about the ballot,” said Francis.  “It is humiliating to confess to such ignorance, but there is so much to be said on both sides that I am puzzled.  I should like public opinion to be so much improved that there would be no necessity for the ballot, but perhaps without it we cannot regenerate public opinion.  I am quite open to conviction on either side on this as on many other political questions.  Now I think you understand my principles.  I will vote for whatever I think right, no matter from what side of the House or from what party it emanates.  If you can trust to my intelligence and my integrity, you will vote for me, but I make no pledge.”

“And we will ask nane,” said Pringle, “we will lippen to you.”

“But Maister Hogarth,” said one of Jamie Howison’s colleagues, “we look to you to mind the interests of them that has nae votes, and that is a large body, as ye ken.”

“Yes, a very large body indeed, when you include the women and children,” said Francis.

“Oh! the women and children,” said the weaver, with a disappointed air, “I was na thinking of them; they are weel enuch—­the men taks care o’ them.”

“Not always the best care in the world,” said Francis.  “Children need protective legislation to guard them from being overworked by parents and masters.  Women are supposed to be free agents, but they do not really get all the rights of free agents—­they should be empowered to protect themselves; the law should support them in obtaining their just rights.  A wife ought not to be treated as a chattel; her earnings should be protected if she wishes it.  And women, too, should have a wider field of labour.  The difficulties which are thrown in the way of the weaker sex, in their attempts to earn a livelihood, both by law and by society, are very unworthy of the age we live in.”

“Weel, Maister Hogarth, though I dinna just see the needcessity for bringing in women to compete wi’ men at their trades, we could do ill without them at our mills, an’ maybe ye’re in the richt.  Ye’ll find us Whigs at Ladykirk united, and in that case ye’re safe to carry the day,” said Sandy Pringle.

Francis’ return, however, ran more risk than either he or Sandy Pringle counted upon, for the suggestion carefully circulated by Fortescue, Toutwell, and the Tory agents, and feebly denied even by Mr. Hogarth’s own Swinton agent, that he was a most unpopular man in the county, and that it was a mistake on the earl’s part to support him, very nearly brought down a member of the Reform Club to force him to retire after his canvass was made, and his majority counted as small but safe.  This shabby proceeding was only averted by the firmness of the Newtown Whigs, who were indignant at such treatment of a man so independent and so able as Mr. Hogarth, and they declared to the earl, through their agent, that if he did not with his party support Cross Hall for the burghs, they would set up Mr. Sinclair for the county and vote as one man for him, so that Lord Frederic would have an overwhelming majority over the Honourable James.