his sister. "It was as our mother fondly said. She was not lost for
ever; she returned to her former faith. Nay, I doubt not that in
some sort she died for it--died through the harshness and sternness
of her husband. Susan, dost hear--dost understand?"

But Susan only turned a sour face towards her brother.

"I hear," she answered ungraciously. "But the boy has doubtless
been bred a Papist. Who can believe a word he says? Doubtless he
has been sent here to corrupt your daughters, as Bridget was
corrupted by his father. I would liefer put my hand in the maw of a
mad dog than my faith in the word of a Papist."

Cuthbert did not wince beneath this harsh speech, he was too well
inured to such; he only looked at his aunt with grave curiosity as
he answered thoughtfully:

"Methinks it is something hard to believe them, always. Yet I have
known them speak sooth as well as other men. But I myself would
sooner put confidence in the word of one of the other faith. They
hold not with falsehood in a good cause as our father confessors
do. Wherefore, if it were for that alone, I would sooner be a
heretic, albeit there be many things about my father's faith that I
love and cling to."

This answer caused Martin to look more closely at his nephew,
discerning in him something of the fearless Puritan spirit, as well
as that instinctive desire to weigh and judge for himself that was
one of his own characteristics. Papist the lad might be by training
and inheritance, but it was plain that at present he was no bigot.