red into himself and silence and communing with God,
and devoted himself to his book. It was beginning to be a great happiness
to him to find that his daughter Isabel, now about seventeen years old,
was growing up into active sympathy with his principles, and that the
passion of her soul, as of his, was a tender deep-lying faith towards
God, which could exist independently of outward symbols and ceremonies.
But unlike others of his school he was happy too to notice and encourage
friendly relations between Lady Maxwell and his daughter, since he
recognised the sincere and loving spirit of the old lady beneath her
superstitions, and knew very well that her friendship would do for the
girl what his own love could not.

The other passion of Isabel's life at present lay in her brother Anthony,
who was about three years younger than herself, and who was just now more
interested in his falcons and pony than in all the religious systems and
human relationships in the world, except perhaps in his friendship for
Hubert, who besides being three or four years older than himself, cared
for the same things.

And so relations between the Hall and the Dower House were all that they
should be, and the path that ran through the gardens of the one and the
yew hedge and orchard of the other was almost as well trodden as if all
still formed one estate.

As for the village itself, it was exceedingly difficult to gauge
accurately the theological atmosphere. The Rector despaired of doing so.
It was true that at Easter the entire population, except the Maxwells and
their dependents, received communion in the parish church, or at least
professed their willingness and intention to do so unless prevented by
some accident of the preceding week; but it was impossible to be blind to
the fact that many of the old beliefs lingered on, and that there was
little enthusiasm for the new system. Rumours broke out now and again
that the Catholics were rising in the north; that Elizabeth contemplated
a Spanish or French marriage with a return to the old religion; that Mary
Stuart would yet come to the throne; and with each such report there came
occasionally a burst of joy in unsuspected quarters. Old Martin, for
example, had been overheard, so a zealous neighbour reported, blessing
Our Lady aloud for her mercies when a passing traveller had insisted that
a religious league was in progress of formation between France and Spain,
and that it was only a questi