think now. But, my
mother; does she know of this _name_?"

Maud blushed to the eyes; but the habit and the love of truth were so
strong in her, that she shook her head in the negative.

"Nor Beulah?--_She_, I am certain, would not have permitted
'Meredith' to appear where 'Willoughby' should have been."

"Nor Beulah, either, major Willoughby," pronouncing the name with an
affectation of reverence. "The honour of the Willoughbys is thus
preserved from every taint, and all the blame must fall on poor Maud
Meredith."

"You dislike the name of Willoughby, then, and intend to drop it, in
future--I have remarked that you sign yourself only 'Maud,' in your
last letters--never before, however, did I suspect the reason."

"Who wishes to live for ever an impostor? It is not my legal name, and
I shall soon be called on to perform legal acts. Remember, Mr. Robert
Willoughby, I am twenty; when it comes to pounds, shillings, and pence,
I must not forge. A little habit is necessary to teach me the use of my
own _bona fide_ signature."

"But ours--the name is not hateful to you--you do not throw it aside,
seriously, for ever!"

"_Yours_! What, the honoured name of my dear, dearest father--of
my mother--of Beulah--of yourself, Bob!"

Maud did not remain to terminate her speech. Bursting into tears, she
vanished.

Chapter VIII.

The village tower--'tis joy to me!--I cry, the Lord is here!
The village bells! They fill the soul with ecstasy sincere.
And thus, I sing, the light hath shined to lands in darkness hurled,
Their sound is now in all the earth, their words throughout the world.

Coxe.

Another night past in peace within the settlement of the Hutted Knoll.
The following morning was the Sabbath, and it came forth, balmy,
genial, and mild; worthy of the great festival of the Christian world.
On the subject of religion, captain Willoughby was a little of a
martinet; understanding by liberty of conscience, the right of
improving by the instruction of those ministers who belonged to the
church of England. Several of his labourers had left him because he
refused to allow of any other ministrations on his estate; his doctrine
being that every man had a right to do as he pleased in such matters;
and as he did not choose to allow of schism, within the sphere of his
own influence, if others desired to be schismatics they were at liberty
to go elsewhere, in order to indulge their tastes. Joel Strides and
Jam