The Man in Possession — page 214: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 209 on the low padded chair. She was trembling greatly. Mrs. Lafaye drew her close to herself with a gentle Caressing gesture. “You need not speak,” she said, ‘‘I understand. And I have vowed to help you.” ‘‘No one can do that,” sobbed Kate, her self- command broken down for once. ‘“‘ Life is very cruel to some people.” ‘‘VYes, but not too cruel for consolation. Don’t give way, child, it is no use to cry—like that.” Her own tears were falling in sympathy. Her own miserable, reckless girlhood came back to her memory in the sobs and broken words of this girl for whom she cared so deeply, who had seemed so cold and proud and self-composed to the world at large. Kate checked her sobs and raised her beautiful head. ‘‘You are quite right,” she said, ‘‘it is no use—not even relief. ”’ ‘‘But there must be relief—somewhere!” cried Mrs. Lafaye impetuously. ‘‘You’re too young, and too beautiful, and too—well, hundreds of other things —to be unhappy always. Fate can’t be so spiteful.” ‘‘T don’t know if I should call it Fate,” said the girl slowly. ‘‘Has it ever struck you how curious a thread of misfortune runs through the destiny of some: persons? They seem to be singled out for every species of trouble and ill-luck. Ifsuchadestiny is the inherited fruit of past sins on the part of our ancestors, we have not much to thank them for.” ‘‘That's true,” said Mrs. Lafaye emphatically. ‘‘There are wise folk who talk of the ‘inexhaustible 14 ECOMNCE OOO SS) (SO