Mr. Kennedy thought of speaking to Adam, but was prevented by his early departure, and Mr. Drummond was not sorry for this, and said to his friend, "Livesey is no ordinary character. He is best left to himself at first. He is not the man to be excited or carried away by mere feeling, to make professions or promises on the spur of the moment. But he will think over what he has heard, and you and I can wait and pray that the good seed of the word may take deep root in his heart, and eventually bear fruit to God's glory. I think we shall see him again to-morrow."
In this, however, Mr. Drummond was mistaken. He kept a careful watch on all comers and goers, and was convinced that Adam Livesey was not in the Mission Room on the Tuesday evening.
The manager was greatly disappointed. He thought if that particular address had not touched a responsive chord in the man's heart, he would not be likely to come a second time.
If he could have known that it was the very unselfishness of his rugged friend that kept him at home he would have felt no regret.
The fact was that Adam stayed at home in order that Sarah Evans might go to the Mission Room. He felt that the girl would like it, especially as her uncle and aunt would be there, and so hastened home from work to get tea over, and take charge of the children. Though Sarah insisted that she would not mind staying in, Adam quoted his usual saying, "Turn about's the fair thing," and that the girl must take hers. Baby could be put to bed, and Maggie could manage with him to stand by her. She'd often done it without anybody, for that matter, but he meant stopping at home. So it was settled.
When Sarah's back was turned, the little tongues were loosed, and the children told their father how, the night before, this new housekeeper had wondered so that they had never been taught to say a prayer. She had put some simple words into their mouths, and knelt beside them and asked God's blessing on them all, from baby upwards.
"And, father, she cried when she was knelt down," said Maggie, with an awe-stricken face, so much was she impressed by the memory of Sarah's tears.
Truth to say, the young woman was grieved that not one of the little group of children seemed to dream of kneeling to say "Our Father" before they went to rest.
She wondered whether, if she strove to teach them, she should be blamed, but resolved to risk this, and before the children slept, each had also been taught that short but precious text, "God is love."
When Maggie told her father this, Adam felt as if he had received a blow. Conscience made it plain to him that here was something left undone that ought to have been done, another sin to be grieved over, forsaken, and he trusted, forgiven.