You can scarcely stay in this house after
the poor old man's death."
"I shall go back to Hampshire immediately; if I am not wanted here for
anything--to make arrangements for the funeral. O, how hard it seems to
speak of that while he is still living!"
"You need give yourself no trouble on that account. I will see to all
that, if there is no more proper person to do so."
"You are very good. I am anxious to go back to the Grange as quickly as
possible."
Gilbert left soon after this. He felt that his presence was of no use in
the sick-room, and that he had no right to intrude upon Marian at such a
time.
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.
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