The Man in Possession — page 299: what you’re looking at

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

294 THE MAN IN POSSESSION. you beso foolish? ... Why doesn’t some one look after you?” | His voice roused her to some effort. ‘‘I believe Biddy is right,” she said. ‘I did not care for tunch- eon, and my father dined out and—then I forgot 7 ‘Here is the wine,” he said, as Biddy entered. ‘‘Let me see you drink it.” She held out her hand and took the glass. He looked at her, but the tired whiteness of her face and the strained steadiness of her uplifted eyes were a shock for which he was unprepared. ‘‘My God !—Kate!” he cried below his breath, ‘Cwhat have you been doing to yourself?” She drank the wine before she attempted to answer. For the first time in her life she knew she had a hard part to play, and had almost lost the strength and the power to play it. ‘‘You may go, Biddy,” she said as she gave back the glass. ‘‘Iamallrightnow. Make some strong coffee and bring it up here as soon as possible.” The door closed. She turned and looked at her visitor. ‘*To what do I owe this—honour?” she said. His white face flushed slightly at her tone. ‘‘T came—lI ventured to call to say good-bye,” he said, ‘‘I had no right to, 1 know... but somehow I couldn’t help it : ‘“Good-bye?” she faltered. ‘‘Why, are you going away?” ‘‘Yes,” he said quietly. ‘‘I sail to-morrow for America.” COMicloe (Sri C(O)