"Well my poor woman, good-by! and success attend you on your journey."
"Many thanks, kind sir, may God reward your kind act." And so he rode on.
Mary went on some distance, and began to feel that she could go no farther. Suddenly she saw a woman approaching her. Wondering, the two women at last met, and the stranger said to Mary,
"Are you the woman a gentleman on horseback assisted across the river?"
"Yes ma'am."
"Then you are to come with me. He has paid us for your supper and lodging to-night. Also, he paid me to come out and meet you and show you the way."
"Thank God! I am almost worn out. What was the gentleman's name, please?"
"That I can't tell. But here's our house. Come, get your supper, it is waiting."
And thus was her humble prayer answered, and a friend raised up to her in her sore need.
The next day Mary reached Goulburn, and she and her husband returned the following day in the cart, to Mack's Reef. But after reaching the Reef, William found it would require quite a sum of money to do anything with his quartz, so at last abandoning everything, he left the Reef in disgust. The poor old horse died shortly after that, and thus they only had the cart remaining. The harvest time was approaching, and William had the rent to pay on the farm he had taken, and which had failed so dismally. So he went to the owner and offered to harvest out the amount. The offer was accepted, and he went harvesting the remainder of the season.