The Man in Possession — page 148: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION, 143 by your many talents as this one has had the good fortune to do.” ‘*You are very hardon me, Miss O’Brien. If I told you the truth... if I said I wanted Sir Wilfred to know his fate before—I left—well, that I suppose looks just asimpertinent as all the rest. Yet I as- sure you that was my only reason. As for what I said about yourself. .. I had learnt some of it from your father. . . and from another source. I only talked a jargon of nonsense. I never meant you to give it a serious thought.” ‘‘T haven't the slightest intention of disappointing you in /hat respect,” said the girl haughtily. ‘“No doubt it looks impertinent—foolish. .. . Anything—everything you have said,” he went on humbly, ‘‘ but I think . . . I hope, you will be merci- ful. If you knew how ashamed I am, how I have valued your good opinion.” ‘‘You have gone a strange way to work to obtain it, I must say.” He sighed and rose from his seat and stood before her in the dim light, pale, andsad. The buzz of voices reached them. The strains of a waltz floated in weird pathetic melody from the distant ball-room. Somehow, as Kate listened, it seemed to her that all her life long she should remember that melody and the look of that humbled pleading face from which she turned now with such cold and bitter scorn. ; All her life. . . All her life. . . for how or why she knew not but that life seemed a changed and altered thing as she turned and left the room with COMicloe (Sri C(O)