The Man in Possession — page 179: what you’re looking at

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

174 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. ‘T_T don't know. I’venot thought about it,” said Kate, colouring softly. ‘Don’t be in too great a‘hurry,” said Mrs. Lafaye, with sudden earnestness. ‘‘ Youre so young and so beautiful. Mind, I mean it, and no nonsense. The moment I set eyes on you I said to myself, ‘ That girl's real grit—all through.’ Ishould be sorry to think you threw yourself away. Of course I've no right to say that, but—I know Sir Wilfred. Of course his mother thinks he’s just an angel.... Well, I guess theres _ two sorts of them flying round.” ‘‘T’m not at all anxious to be married soon,” said Kate. ‘‘ But I suppose it won't rest with me.” ‘You mean they'll hurry you on despite yourself. But you look as if youd got a will of your own. Take my advice, show it.” Then she rose from her seat. ‘‘T spose it’s not just etiquette to be sitting here,” she said. ‘‘ Those other woman will be speculating about us. Not that it matters what I do: they say, ‘Qh, she’s an American,’ which is about equal to pro- claiming a person a Choctaw, or a Mahatma from Thibet. You English people are real funny, except to yourselves. I guess you nevereven know when youre humorous, but to a stranger, and any one coming from my country (I’ma New Yorker, you know), you do seem queer.” ‘« T’ve no doubt we do,” said Kate, as she followed the brilliant gown and its small and dainty wearer through the aisle of palms and roses, and all the fragile scented beauty of the glass-houses. Mrs. La- faye was quite an interesting and novel study to her, COMI LOOO SS 4(C (0)