The Man in Possession — page 161: what you’re looking at

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

156 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. keep straight—and knock off brandies and sodas, and—awh, bitters, and all that. I will indeed. Id do anything for you. I can't bear to think I’ve made you angry.” ‘“‘T’m not—angry,” said Kate, who was rather amused by this flood of eloquence. ‘‘AndI1 forgive you willingly, Sir Wilfred. Of course it was very annoying to be mixed up with a scene like that of last night, and I really feel quite ostracised by every one this morning. Still, as my visit is nearly over, it doesn’t matter very much. Please say no more about it.” , ‘“You’re—you re awfully good, ‘pon my honour you are,” cried the little baronet almost tearfully. ‘‘ How I wish I wasn't such an unlucky beggar as to dis- please you. I can't forget you, and I can't cease to —to love you. It’s no use you know. Absolutely can’t be done. Oh, if I could only hope——” Kate was silent. Her chance had come again. Her second chance. She could place her foot on the neck of her foes. She could force these arrogant, spiteful women to acknowledge her as their equal; and more, she could smooth her own pathway of trouble, she could gratify her father, she could rid herself of that obligation which alone and above all others stood out and shamed her by its generous trust. She could do so much, and win so much . .. should she doit? | Her face paled. The hand, playing idly with some flowering plant by her side, trembled visibly. ‘<Sir Wilfred,” she said, ‘‘I will be perfectly honest and candid with you. I don’t, as I told you yesterday, COMicloe (Sri C(O)