The Man in Possession — page 300: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 295 CHAPTER XXVIL ‘€OH, SO UNWISELY WISE.” Kate lay back against the cushions, and echoed those words in a faint whisper. ‘‘To America ... you are going to America?” ‘SVes,” he said. . He had moved a little distance away from her and stood leaning against the mantelpiece, his eyes bent on the fire. Hecould not trust himself to look at her. The change in her appearance had been a greater shock to him than his self-command could bear just yet. The proud, beautiful, queenly girl he had seen scarce three weeks ago could hardly be identified with this pale suffering woman who seemed aged by years since that parting. ‘Is it not rather a sudden determination?” she said presently. ‘‘T suppose it seems so,” he answered, ‘‘ though to me it is quite an old and long established idea.” ‘‘T wonder,” said Kate, ‘‘ that Mrs. Lafaye did not mention it to me.” ‘‘Oh,” he said bitterly, ‘‘Mrs. Lafaye could not possibly believe that any action of mine could in- terest you.” The hot hurt flush on her white cheek might have told its own tale. She made no other answer. ‘‘T felt suddenly, to-night, that I should like to see COMicloe <Sii C(O)