Human nature has limitations, and failure would have been no discredit to Elspeth. Probationers who preached in the vacancy had heard rumours, and tried to identify their judge, with the disconcerting result that they addressed their floweriest passages to Mistress Stirton, who was the stupidest woman in the Free Kirk, and had once stuck in the "chief end of man. It was as well for the probationers that they had not caught the glint of those black beady eyes. Macfadyen did not appreciate prodigal quotations of Scriptures, and had her suspicions of this practice. We shall see what the Apostle Paul some shibe the dog stuff. Macfadyen summed them up with such excellent judgment that they were thrown over and peace restored. Elspeth was candid enough on occasion, but she was not indiscreet. She could convey her mind delicately if need be, some shibe the dog stuff was a mistress of subtle suggestion.