The Man in Possession — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

THE MAN IN POSSESSION. 53 ‘¢ Nineteen and ninepence half-penny,” added Fletcher apologetically. ‘‘That’s the debt, Miss.” ‘‘ Well, twenty-one pounds,” said Kate, ‘‘is a sum not easily raised.” ‘‘That’s thrue for you,” interrupted Biddy, who had hitherto kept a discreet silence, ‘‘ though there's a matther of silver that ye mightn’t be just immadi- ately in need of? Shure the master could drink his coffee or his tay out of the chaney pot for a week or two.” ‘‘ He’s so very particular,” sighed Kate. ‘*A many of them are,” observed Fletcher, with a sniff that might or might not have been intended as contemptuous. ‘‘I’ve noticed it; specially gents. It’s wonderful what the ladies will put up with, and how they'll go denyin’ of themselves; but from my point of view of human natur’, Miss, the gents are most always a bit selfish and exacting. Mostalways,” he repeated thoughtfully, as his eyes rested on the sad and troubled beauty of the girl’s face. She changed the subject by turning to Biddy. ‘‘T made the pudding,” she said. ‘‘ Have you put it on to boil ?” ‘It’s just what I was doin’, Miss Kate, when you came in the kitchen that same blessed minnit.” ‘¢ By the way, you were very late last night,” said Kate. ‘‘T was,” agreed Biddy cheerfully. ‘‘I—I met some friends, Miss—and we had a chat and a glass to- gether ; shure I'd not be deceivin’ you about a thrifle like that. 1 was surprised myself, Miss Kate, when the clocks struck. But I did all my messages safe enough. 3 COMicloe (Sri C(O)