Van Diemen was partially reassured by the announcement. "What do you
call a stiff price?"

"Well!--over thirty."

"Double that, and you may have a chance."

"Now," cried Tinman, exasperated, "how can a man from Australia know
anything about prices for port? You can't divest your ideas of diggers'
prices. You're like an intoxicating drink yourself on the tradesmen of
our town. You think it fine--ha! ha! I daresay, Philip, I should be
doing the same if I were up to your mark at my banker's. We can't all
of us be lords, nor baronets."

Catching up his temper thus cleverly, he curbed that habitual runaway,
and retired from his old friend's presence to explode in the society of
the solitary Martha.

Annette's behaviour was as bitterly criticized by the sister as by the
brother.

"She has gone to those Fellingham people; and she may be thinking of
jilting us," Mrs. Cavely said.

"In that case, I have no mercy," cried her brother. "I have borne"--he
bowed with a professional spiritual humility--"as I should, but it may
get past endurance. I say I have borne enough; and if the worst comes to
the worst, and I hand him over to the authorities--I say I mean him no
harm, but he has struck me. He beat me as a boy and he has struck me as
a man, and I say I have no thought of revenge, but I cannot have him