The Man in Possession — page 37: what you’re looking at

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

32 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. measured spice, and weighed flour and sugar, and mixed them all into the mysterious compound in the basin. ‘‘Do let me help you. I'll beat up the eggs,” said the young man. The girl nodded assent, and watched his deft and well-shaped hands as they adjusted themselves to that part of the business. ‘‘Not a bit like a workman's hands,” she thought. ‘‘T wonder if really he is what he says.” The young man kept uparunning fire of talk. He was wonderfully well informed and amusing. But he always kept his face in the shade and always con- trived that his fair curly hair should tumble over his forehead, or into his eyes, so that it was difficult to form a correct idea of what he was like. ‘*IT didn’t know young ladies could cook,” he said admiringly, as he watched the girl’s skilful manipula- tion of ingredients. ‘‘What do you suppose they do?” she asked curiously. She thought it would be interesting to know what | carpenters imagined as to the occupation and benefit in life of young people of her sex and position. ‘‘Well, I suppose they play the piano, and read a great deal, and do needlework sometimes, and dress and look beautiful—and 7 The girl laughed merrily. ‘‘Qh, yes, they do all those things, but can’t you imagine they might be useful also. I certainly can play the piano, and I’m very fond of reading, and I make my own dresses, too, but I should be sorry if COMicloe ) (C(O)