The Man in Possession — page 296: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. . 2g! mination not to heal, and the doctors began to look very grave as time went on. Kate grew daily more pale and thin and quiet ; and Mrs. Lafaye, who called with unfailing regularity every morning, wasseriously distressed at the change in the girl. The obligations under which Sir Wilfred placed them by his contributions to household ex- penses were a galling humiliation to her proud spirit. She knew her father had put the matter in his usual airy and irresponsible manner before his prospective son-in-law, and that the baronet had at once placed a considerable sum to his credit, so that the genial Irishman once more rejoiced in the possession of a banking account, and the wheels of expenditure rolled smoothly along over a roadway of renewed credit. For 1t was a curious phase of Cornelius O’Brien’s character that he never could bring himself to pay for anything unless absolutely compelled to do so. If he had possessed a rent-roll of unlimited - thousands he would still have run up bills, and in- curred debts, and resented being asked for payment as the greatest impertinence of which any tradesman could be guilty. | Kate gave up the task in despair, and was thankful when she managed to secure some small sum now and then to satisfy a demand that threatened to become importunate, or to stave off a summons by that sop to Cerberus which is known as ‘‘something on account.” She ventured to ask Cornelius once if he had paid off the debt to Tom Smith. He only laughed. ‘‘ Faith, he’s never asked for it, and besides, I don’t know his address,” he said. COMicloe (Sri C(O)