"I had a hard battle to fight out yonder." There had been very little appearance of emotion upon either side so far.
Percival Nowell took things as coolly as it was his habit to take everything, while his father carefully concealed whatever deeper feeling might be stirred in the depths of his heart by this unexpected return.
"You do not ask any questions about the fate of your only child," the old man said, by-and-by.
"My dear father, that is of course a subject of lively interest to me; but I did not suppose that you could be in a position to give me any information upon that point." "I do happen to know something about your daughter, but not much." Jacob Nowell went on to tell his son all that he had heard from Gilbert Fenton respecting Marian's marriage.

Of his own advertisements, and wasted endeavours to find her, he said nothing.
"And this fellow whom she has jilted is pretty well off, I suppose ?" Percival said thoughtfully.
"He is an Australian merchant, and, I should imagine, in prosperous circumstances." "Foolish girl! And this Holbrook is no doubt an adventurer, or he would scarcely have married her in such a secret way.

Have you any wish that she should be found ?" "Yes, I have a fancy for seeing her before I die.

She is my own flesh and blood, like you, and has not injured me as you have.

I should like to see her." "And if she happened to take your fancy, you would leave her all your money, I suppose ?" "Who told you that I have money to leave ?" cried the old man sharply.
"Have I not said that I am a poor man, hopelessly impoverished by your extravagance ?" "Bah, my dear father, that is all nonsense.