The Man in Possession — page 34: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 29 downstairs again,” she said to herself, ‘‘even a bailiff is better than no one to talk to.” Kate was not an atom conventional. Perhaps one result of her strange bringing up was her utter fear- lessness and frankness. She did things and said things thata modern young lady would not have done or said. Besides, she felt strangely curious about this young man. Surely his voice, his manner, his mode of speaking were not the voice and manners of a com- mon man—say Fletcher for instance. Certainly she had heard of strange accidents and misfortunes that drive men and women also to do strange things for a livelihood, but what misfortune could have driven this, ‘‘superior young man” to be a bailiff? But was he a bailiff? Had he not said he only obliged Fletcher by staying here for an hour or two? The more she thought of it the more puzzled she became. | | ‘‘T really think I will go down and talk to him,” she said again as the fire sank into grey ashes and the loneliness and gloom seemed almost unbearable. She went downstairs to the kitchen. The young man still sat by the fire, his ulster collar drawn up round his face, that face half-covered by the fair curling hair that he had purposely disarranged. ‘‘T cannot understand why my servant has not returned,” said Kate as she entered, ‘‘and Fletcher too. How long did he say he would be away?” ‘‘An hour or two,” answered the young man rising from his seat. ‘‘CanI be of any use to you,” he went on eagerly. ‘‘I mean is there anything you want done? Please don't mind asking me. I COMicloe (Sri C(O)