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.