The Man in Possession — page 276: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 271 Had I been heartwhole—but there—I won't say more. . . . I hope youre listening, Kate. Your ex- pression is, to say the least, not encouraging.” “IT was only thinking,” said the girl, ‘‘how extremely confidential you must have become on such a very brief acquaintance.”’ ‘‘Oh, yes, we did,” said Mrs. Lafaye, with intense enthusiasm. ‘‘But you seem to forget, my dear, that your letter to me was very communicative. It certainly was not written in the cold-blooded mood you are at present indulging.” ‘‘Never mind my moods,” said Kate. ‘‘I want to hear this important communication of yours.” ‘‘Would you care to know in what state Colonel Lawrence found that poor young man?” resumed Mrs. Lafaye. ‘‘He was roaming on the Embank- ment and almost on the point of suicide. There, I hope you feel happy now. It’s downright cruelty to treat aman as you've treated him. Colonel Lawrence found him desperate and distraught, and somehow they struck up a friendship and he stayed with him half the night, until he seemed calmer and more composed... and : ‘And the next day he went to dine with him,” said Kate. ‘‘ Rather a commonplace ending to the contemplated suicide and despair.” ‘‘Well,” laughed Mrs. Lafaye, ‘‘we live in a very commonplace age, you see. What could the young man do? I suppose you don’t begrudge him a grain or two of hope, and even despairing lovers can feel the pangs of hunger in the space of twenty- four hours.” COMIC OOO SS) (SO