The footfall ceased, and they arose, expecting a knock.  They began to think it might have been, after all, some neighbouring villager under Bacchic influence, giving the centre of the road a wide berth, when their doubts were dispelled by the new-comer’s entry into the passage.  The door of the room was gently opened, and there appeared, not the pair of travellers with whom we have already made acquaintance, but a pale-faced man in the garb of extreme poverty—­almost in rags.

‘O, it’s a tramp—­gracious me!’ said Sally, starting back.

His cheeks and eye-orbits were deep concaves—­rather, it might be, from natural weakness of constitution than irregular living, though there were indications that he had led no careful life.  He gazed at the two women fixedly for a moment:  then with an abashed, humiliated demeanour, dropped his glance to the floor, and sank into a chair without uttering a word.

Sally was in advance of her mother, who had remained standing by the fire.  She now tried to discern the visitor across the candles.

‘Why—­mother,’ said Sally faintly, turning back to Mrs. Hall.  ’It is Phil, from Australia!’

Mrs. Hall started, and grew pale, and a fit of coughing seized the man with the ragged clothes.  ‘To come home like this!’ she said.  ’O, Philip—­are you ill?’

‘No, no, mother,’ replied he impatiently, as soon as he could speak.

‘But for God’s sake how do you come here—­and just now too?’

‘Well, I am here,’ said the man.  ’How it is I hardly know.  I’ve come home, mother, because I was driven to it.  Things were against me out there, and went from bad to worse.’

’Then why didn’t you let us know?—­you’ve not writ a line for the last two or three years.’

The son admitted sadly that he had not.  He said that he had hoped and thought he might fetch up again, and be able to send good news.  Then he had been obliged to abandon that hope, and had finally come home from sheer necessity—­previously to making a new start.  ’Yes, things are very bad with me,’ he repeated, perceiving their commiserating glances at his clothes.

They brought him nearer the fire, took his hat from his thin hand, which was so small and smooth as to show that his attempts to fetch up again had not been in a manual direction.  His mother resumed her inquiries, and dubiously asked if he had chosen to come that particular night for any special reason.

For no reason, he told her.  His arrival had been quite at random.  Then Philip Hall looked round the room, and saw for the first time that the table was laid somewhat luxuriously, and for a larger number than themselves; and that an air of festivity pervaded their dress.  He asked quickly what was going on.

‘Sally is going to be married in a day or two,’ replied the mother; and she explained how Mr. Darton, Sally’s intended husband, was coming there that night with the groomsman, Mr. Johns, and other details.  ’We thought it must be their step when we heard you,’ said Mrs. Hall.