The Man in Possession — page 295: what you’re looking at

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

290 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. So Colonel Lawrence left him at last and went back to assure Mrs. Lafaye that he had carried out | his mission most successfully, and that Tom Rivers was ‘‘ braced up” to meet the worst. Meanwhile Kate waited with a sort of despairing patience for the arrival of her suffering swain. The best bedroom in the house had been prepared, ‘and an hospital nurse engaged—much to Biddy’s dis- gust—and in due time an invalid carriage made its appearance containing the shattered frame of the un- fortunate baronet. Lady Jocelyn came up to town on hearing of the accident, but having assured herself, and been as- sured by Cornelius O'Brien, that every possible care and attention would be given to the invalid, she returned to Croft and to the guests who still lingered there. Sir Wilfred was not a good patient by any means. His enfeebled constitution and irritable temper were against him, and his inability-to find occupation or amusement in the uninteresting surroundings of a sick-room made the task of nursing him very trying. He hated books, and the only literature to which he would listen was contained in sporting papers and comic journals. These Cornelius or Kate would read to. him with persevering patience, but after a time he wearied even of their exciting contents, and would grumble and complain like a fretful child at his enforced inac- tion. The fractured leg showed an obstinate deter- COMicloe (Sri C(O)