CHAPTER XXI.
FATHER AND DAUGHTER.
Almost immediately after Gilbert's departure, another visitor appeared in the dimly lighted shop, where Luke Tulliver was poring over a newspaper at one end of the counter under a solitary gas-burner.
The new-comer was Percival Nowell, who had not been to the house since his daughter's arrival.
"Well," said this gentleman, in his usual off-hand manner, "how's the governor ?" "Very ill; going fast, the doctor says." "Eh?
As bad as that?
Then there's been a change since I was here last." "Yes; Mr.Nowell was taken much worse yesterday morning.

He had a kind of fit, I fancy, and couldn't get his speech for some time afterwards.

But he got over that, and has talked well enough since then," Mr.Tulliver concluded ruefully, remembering his master's candid remarks that morning.
"I'll step upstairs and have a look at the old gentleman," said Percival.
"There's a young lady with him," Mr.Tulliver remarked, in a somewhat mysterious tone.
"A young lady!" the other cried.

"What young lady ?" "His granddaughter." "Indeed!" "Yes; she came up from the country yesterday evening, and she's been sitting with him ever since.

He seems to have taken to her very much.
You'd think she'd been about him all her life; and she's to have all his money, he says.