The Man in Possession — page 123: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

118 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. only to say ‘Yes, ’and heiwgh, preséo, all the old miser- able drudging life vanishes for ever, and I shall be able to play the grand lady to my heart's content! Why can't I say ‘Yes’? Why does it suddenly seem so difficult? I can’t afford to pick and choose, and eligible suitors don't offer themselves every day to beggar maidens. Oh—” and a sigh, deep and- bitter, burst suddenly forth—‘‘ what a miserable thing it is to be a woman, and see one’s whole vocation in life only bounded by that thorny hedge of matri- mony !” The next morning Kate woke bright and fresh, and with the feeling that all the troubles and worries of the past night had but a shadowy existence. _ There was more than usual animation about the ‘‘house party.” They had at least a definite object to-day for their minds to dwell upon. The morning was spent by the members of the comedy company in active rehearsal. Kate and Tom Rivers had only half-an-hour before afternoon tea to run through their little duologue, but both of them felt it would be a success in spite of the hostile criticism it was likely to arouse. She did not question him about the Wizard, though she felt strongly inclined to do so, and he mentioned nothing about that mysterious personage. ‘‘How admirably you act,” said the obdurate youth, as they finished rehearsing. ‘‘ One feels sorry that Art has lost a disciple so promising.” ‘‘I wish I had been able to get a genuine opinion about my acting,” said Kate earnestly. ‘‘It is all COMicloe (Sri C(O)