The Man in Possession — page 133: what you’re looking at

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

128 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. round with black, and lighted only by a dull red glow which fell from above, though neither lamp nor candle was visible. Seated before a small table, also covered with black, and on which some cards were scattered, was a strange-looking figure. , A long white beard fell to its waist and long white hair flowed from beneath the black skull-cap. The face was dark and swarthy, and the eyes flashed keenly from beneath heavy brows that were dark and thick, 1n strange contrast to the white locks. Kate surveyed the individual with some astonish- ment. He maintained strict silence, as if waiting to be addressed. At last the silence grew so embar- rassing that she said hesitatingly, ‘‘ Are you really able to foretell events ?” The seer stroked his long beard and answered enigmatically : ‘‘Ofthe Future who shall be sure, see- ing that to-day knows nothing of to-morrow. Yet all may ask, though none may believe. But the Past— that to me isclear. On the palm of every inquirer I read the history of what has been.—Do you wish me to read yours, O maiden from Erin’s shores? ” Now Kate had always prided herself on being absolutely free from the slightest accent that could betray her nationality, so she was somewhat startled at this remark. Involuntarily she held out her hand and watched the swarthy face and strange brows that were bent so attentively over it. ‘“Trouble is here ; trouble greater and heavier than one so young should know,’ said the wizard sol- emnly. ‘‘ Debts and difficulty, anxious days, sleep- comicbooks, C(O)