The Man in Possession — page 163: what you’re looking at

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

158 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. Oh, Kate! “—He fairly broke down then, he was so overcome by his emotions. ‘‘You must forgive me for being such a fool,” the poor little man sobbed brokenly. ‘‘I—I never dreamt of such happiness. Heaps of girls have thrown themselves at my head, and would have pretended to love me just—just for the sake of my money, but you—yourre so honest and so straight, and I’m sure you wouldn't deceive me in the future any more than you've done now... . . And perhaps,” he added humbly, ‘‘some day you may get to care a little—who knows! That’s to say if youre sure you don’t care for any one else? ” ‘You can rest assured of that,” said Kate coldly. Now that her fate was sealed, she felt the old sen- sation of disgust and contempt. It seemed as if her whole character would suffer and deteriorate. The old frank girlish candour and honesty would be re- placed by hypocrisy and seared by the hot touch of shame. She could never think of herself, hope for herself, as she had thought and hoped with that Kate O'Brien whom soon the world would know as Lady Jocelyn. But Sir Wilfred was too blissfully content to trouble about anything further. His mind had grasped two facts: one, that she would marry him—the other, that she cared for no one else. Armed with this assurance he was ready to defy Fate ! COMicloe (Sri C(O)