ery well they desired no such approach. Whether it were simply because
she and her father were 'dissenters' Esther could not tell; whatever
the reason, her sensitive nature and discerning vision saw the fact.
They made visits of neighbourly politeness to the one English family
that was within reach; but more than politeness they desired neither to
give nor receive. I suppose it was this perception which made the sight
of the pair so irritating to Esther. _They_ were near Pitt, but they
did not wish that _she_ should be. Esther kept well at a distance. But
with all this they talked of their son perpetually: of his voyage, of
his prospects, of his grand-uncle at Kensington, of his career in
college, or at the University rather, and of his possible permanent
remaining in the old country; at any rate, of his studying there for a
profession. The colonel was only faintly interested, and would take up
his book with a sigh of relief when they were gone; but Esther would
sit in passionate misery, not shedding any tears; only staring with her
big eyes at the lire in a sort of fixed gravity most unfit for her
years.

The months went heavily. Winters were rather severe and very long at
Seaforth; Esther was much shut up to the house. It made things all the
harder for her. To the colonel it made no difference. He lay upon his
couch, summer or winter, and went on with his half-hearted
reading,--half a heart was all he brought to it; while Esther would
stand at the window, watching the snow drive past, or the beating down
of the rain, or the glitter of the sunbeams upon a wide white world,
and almost wonder at the thought that warm lights and soft airs and
flowers and walks and botanizing had ever been out there, where now the
glint of the sunbeams on the snow-crystals was as sharp as diamonds,
and all vegetable life seemed to be gone for ever.

Pitt had sailed in November, various difficulties having delayed his
departure to a month later than the time intended for it. Therefore
news from him could not be looked for until the new year was on its
way. Towards the end of January, however, as early as could possibly be
hoped, a letter came to Colonel Gainsborough, which he immediately knew
to be in Pitt's hand.

'No postmark,' he said, surveying it. 'I suppose it came by private
opportunity.'

'Papa, you look a long while at the outside!' said Esther, who stood by
full of excited impatience which she knew better than to show.

'The