Sarah's heart glowed with joy and thankfulness when the time came for her to give back her charge into the rightful hands—the cottage in good condition, and its inmates safe and well. She was glad her duties were over, but sorry to have to unclasp the little arms that clung round her neck, whilst the lips covered her cheeks with kisses, or pleaded, "Don't go, Sarah. Stop just till to-morrow."
"There's no room for me now, and you've got your mother back. Besides, my mother wants me, and says our little Jack has cried many a time for Sarah. I'll come and see you, never fear;" and so the warmhearted girl tore herself away.
"It was nice," she told her own mother, "to see Mrs. Livesey look them all over and the house too, and then turn to me and say, 'You've done well by them. I don't know how to thank you.'"
Sweeter still was it for the young Christian to have the approval of her own conscience, and to know that with the best powers she had she had striven to benefit these children in higher things also. And so, thanking God for His sustaining grace, the girl prayed that her labour of love might not prove in vain in the future.
Adam Livesey told his wife how, week by week, his wages had been carefully husbanded, and every penny accounted for to himself; and when Sarah made her appearance the next morning, according to promise, Mrs. Livesey was still more warm in her thanks and praises.
"Somebody will have a good wife when you get married, Sarah," she said; and in the fulness of her heart, she bestowed a pretty necktie upon the girl, and would have added a gift in money.
"I'll take the tie for a keepsake and thank you," replied Sarah. "But please don't ask me to have any more money. I've had what I bargained for regular, and I'm best paid in knowing that you and Mr. Livesey are satisfied, and that nothing has happened to the children while their mother was away."
The girl was firm, so Margaret could only repeat her thanks and tell her to come in as often as she could, for she would never be made a stranger of in that house.
When Sarah's back was finally turned, Mrs. Livesey sang her praises to all whom it might concern.
"That Sarah Evans is worth her weight in gold. She's one of a thousand. The first girl I ever knew to say 'No' to an extra five shillings, specially when she was as well worth the pay as one penny is worth another."