Sarah had something better now to take her mind back to Sardis
and the people and things on dry land. The engagement and
probably early marriage of Mr. Clewe and Mrs. Raleigh had made a
great impression upon her, and there were days when she never
thought of the pole, so busy was she in making plans based upon
the future connection of the life of herself and Sammy and that
of Mr. and Mrs. Clewe.

Sammy and his wife had very good quarters within the boundaries
of the works, but Sarah had never been quite satisfied with them,
and when the new household of Clewe should be set up, and all the
new domestic arrangements should be made, she hoped for better
things. Mr. Clewe's little cottage would then be vacant, for of
course he and his wife would not live in such a place as that,
and she thought that she and Sammy should have it. Hour by hour
and day by day she planned the furnishing, the fitting, and the
management of this cottage.

She was determined to have a servant, a woman thoroughly capable
of doing general house-work; and then there were times when she
believed that if Sammy should succeed in finding the pole his
salary would be increased, and they might be able to afford two
servants. Over and over again did she consider the question
whether, in this latter case, these women should both be general
house-work servants, or one of them a cook and the other a
chamber-maid and laundress. There was much to be considered on
each side. In the latter case more efficient work could be
obtained; but in the former, in case one of them should suddenly
leave, or go away for a day out, the other could do all the work.