Mrs.
Shand was most anxious that he should go to Pollington and 'tell them anything about poor Dick.' They did, in truth, know everything about poor Dick; that poor Dick's money was all gone, and that poor Dick was earning his bread, or rather his damper, mutton, and tea, wretchedly, in the wilderness of a sheep-run in Queensland.

The mother's letter was not very piteous, did not contain much of complaint,--alluded to poor Dick as one whose poverty was almost natural, but still it was very pressing.
The girls were so anxious to hear all the details,--particularly Maria! The details of the life of a drunken sot are not pleasant tidings to be poured into a mother's ear, or a sister's.

And then, as they two had gone away equal, and as he, John Caldigate, had returned rich, whereas poor Dick was a wretched menial creature, he felt that his very presence in England would carry with it some reproach against himself.

He had in truth been both loyal and generous to Dick; but still,--there was the truth.

He had come back as a rich man to his own country, while Dick was a miserable Queensland shepherd.