When the service was over, the people broke into little bands that disappeared along the west road, and over the moor, and across the Tochty.

Carmichael knew each one was reviewing his sermon head by head, and, pacing his garden, he remembered the missing points with dismay.
It was the custom of the Free Kirk minister to go far afield of a summer evening, and to hold informal services in distant parts of the parish.

This was the joy of the day to him, who was really very young and hated all conventionalities even unto affectation.

He was never weary of complaining that he had to wear a gown, which was continually falling back and being hitched over with impatient motions, and the bands, which he could never tie, and were, he explained to a horrified beadle in Muirtown, an invention of Satan to disturb the preacher's soul before his work.

Once, indeed, he dared to appear without his trappings, on the plea of heat, but the visible dismay and sorrow of the people was so great--some failing to find the Psalm till the first verse had been sung--that he perspired freely and forgot the middle head of his discourse.
"It's a mercy," remarked Mrs.Macfadyen to Burnbrae afterward, "that he didna play that trick when there wes a bairn tae be baptised.