"Mactavish lookit at the body aince, and he lookit again juist tae gie him fair notis, and then he broke oot in face o' the hale congregation: "'There's nothing in all the world so deceptive as sin, for outside it's like a bonnie summer day, and inside it's as black as hell. "'Now here iss this fat little man sittin' before me with his suit o' blue clothes so bonnie and dainty, and a watch guard as thick as my finger on his wame, smilin' an' smirkin', and real well contented with himself, but if he wass opened up what a sight it would be for men and angels. Oh yes, yes, it would be a fearsome sicht, and no man here would be able to look.' "A' tell ye, neeburs, ye micht hae heard a pin fa' tae the ground, and ma heart was thumping in ma briest; a' wudna come thro' the like o' yon again for half the pleenishin' o' Hillocks." There was not a sound at the junction save the steam escaping from the engine, and Hillocks resumed: "But the worst's comin'. Hopps jumps up and faces Mactavish--a'll no deny there is some spunk in the body. "'What right have you to speak like that to me? do you know who I am?' "He hed better been quiet, for he wes nae match for yon Hielandman. "Mactavish glowered at him for maybe a meenut till the puir cratur fell back intae his seat. "'Man,' says Mactavish, 'I do not know who you are, and I do not know what you are, and I shall not be asking who you are, and I am not caring though you be MacCallummore himsel'. You are just a Parable, oh yes, just a Parable. "'But if ye be convicted of secret sin ye may go out, and if there be anybody else whose sins have been laid bare he may go out too, and if nobody wants to go out, then I will be going on with the sermon, oh yes, for it will not do to be spending all our time on Parables.' "As sure as a'm stannin' here ye cudna see Hopps inside his claithes when Mactavish wes dune wi' him." When the train started Hillocks received the compliments of the third with much modesty, and added piquant details regarding the utter confusion of our sermon taster. "'Did ye follow?' a' speirit o' Elspeth afore a' went tae pit Hopps thegither. "'Cud a' follow a bumbee?' was the only word a' got frae her; a' saw she was beaten for aince and wes rael mad." "I'st true Elspeth scuffled wi' her feet at the laist head and gar'd him close?" "A'll neither deny nor affirm, Drumsheugh; but there's nae doot when the mune began tae shine aboot nine, and Mactavish started aff on the Devil, somebody scrapit aside me. It wesna Jeems; he daurna for his life; and it wesna me. A'll no say but it micht be Elspeth, but she wes sair provokit. Aifter haddin' her ain twenty years tae be maistered by a Hielandman." It was simply a duty of friendship to look in and express one's sympathy with Mrs. Macfadyen in this professional disaster. I found her quite willing to go over the circumstances, which were unexampled in her experience, and may indeed be considered a contribution to history.