The Man in Possession — page 289: what you’re looking at

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

284 ss THE MAN IN POSSESSION. CHAPTER XXVI. ‘*1 HAVE COME TO SAY GOOD-BYE.” Tom Rivers was pacing his room in a restless and perturbed fashion that evening when Colonel Law- rence was announced. The eagerness of the young man’s welcome was tempered by the surprise the visit occasioned. The Colonel alluded to the fact as he rapidly explained it. ‘‘Of course you didn’t expect me. But Mrs. Lafaye made me come round: she thought you'd expect to hear something.” “She's awfully kind,” said Tom gratefully. ‘I must confess I was rather tired of my own company. But I scarcely hoped for this pleasure.” ‘Well, I'll relieve you of the burden of solitude,” said the Colonel, ‘‘and I'll deliver my message to the best of my ability. You see I’m new at this business, and I’m afraid I’m not quite the sort of person to act as an emissary of Cupid. However, I’1l do my best not to blunder.” He sat himself down and accepted a cigar. Then he related in a few plain, brief sentences the events of that morning. The young fellow’s face clouded unmistakably as he heard of Sir Wilfred’s plight. COMicloe (Sri C(O)