Fred was much shocked.
"I hope," he said, "you do not follow your mistress's example."
Esther admitted she had for some time past neglected her religion. Fred went so far as to suggest that she ought to leave her present situation and enter a truly religious family.
"I owe her too much ever to think of leaving her. And it has nothing to do with her if I haven't thought as much about the Lord as I ought to have. It's the first place I've been in where there was time for religion."
This answer seemed to satisfy Fred.
"Where used you to go?"
"My people—father and mother—belonged to the Brethren."
"To the Close or the Open?"
"I don't remember; I was only a little child at the time."
"I'm a Plymouth Brother."