Such were the respective conditions of Amy Amber and the Frankses when the Raymounts left London. Hester knew nothing of the state of either, nor had they ever belonged to her flock. It was not for them that she was troubled in the midst of the peace and rest of her new life, when she felt like a shepherd compelled to leave his sheep in the wilderness. One good thing, however, that came of the change was that she and her father were drawn closer together through the quiet of this country life. When Mr. Raymount’s hours of writing were over, he missed the more busy life into which he had been able to turn at will, and needed a companion. His wife not wishing to go with him, he naturally turned to his daughter, and they took many walks together.

During these walks Hester learned much. Though her father was not chiefly occupied with the best things, he did have both a learning and a teaching nature. There are few who can be said to be truly alive. Of Mr. Raymount it might be said that he was coming alive, and it was no small consolation to Hester to get nearer to him. Like the rest of his children, she had been a little afraid of him. Fear, though it may dig deeper foundations of love, chokes its passages. Before a month was over, she was astonished to find how much of companions as well as friends they had become to each other.

Most fathers know little of their sons and less of their daughters. Because they are familiar with every feature of their children’s faces and every movement of their bodies, they take it for granted they know them. But now Mr. Raymount began to make some discoveries of a deeper nature in Hester.

She kept up a steady correspondence with Miss Dasomma, and that also was a great help to her. She had a note now and then from Mr. Vavasor, but that was not a help. A little present of music was generally its pretext. He dared not trust himself to write to her about anything else. Hester was always glad when she saw his writing, and always disappointed with the letter—she could hardly have said why, for she never expected it to go beyond the surface of things.