The Man in Possession — page 263: what you’re looking at

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

258 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. CHAPTER XXIV. TWO EXPLANATIONS. ‘Mr. Rivers,” said the pretty American the moment the Colonel had departed, ‘‘I must speak to you frankly, candidly, without any beating about the bush or nonsense. You'll be surprised to hear that I’ve actually got a letter upstairs written to you. I wanted to know you: indeed, I had made up my mind that I must know you. Will you attend parti- cularly for a few moments, and Ill tell you the reason.” She had dropped all her airy, graceful nonsense. She was deeply in earnest, and Tom saw it. ‘I’m very much flattered at your interest,” he said, somewhat stupidly. ‘‘I will listen with all the patience you can desire.” ‘‘You mustn’t misunderstand me, ” said Mrs. La- faye. ‘‘I daresay I’m very un-English, but there are times in life when one can’t afford to study con- ventionalities. I told you I had struck up a great friendship with Kate O’Brien. Imean it. I’m really, honestly and sincerely fond of her, and she’s going to do a foolish and most regrettable thing. She's to | marry a man about whom she doesn’t care a copper Comliclooe® (Sri C(O)