Ruby's Reward — page 10: what you’re looking at

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

»[ presume my father tel6 he could safely leave that matter to me,’ Edmund remarked, with some dignity. “Of course,” lie added, ‘it woud have simplitied things somewhat, if we could Lave known just what his wishes were; but since we cannot, we shall have to do the next best way,” and there the subject rested. But Mrs. Coxon, the faithful old housekeeper, who had served many years in the family, and who had been al- most like a mother bo the lwo young men, could not be reconcHed to the fact. After her first expressions of surprise and dismay, she nad looked very wise, and remarked with some asperity, that, ‘It was very strange, for she had been requested by her master, more than two years before, to sign a document—whether it was’a will, mortgage or, 20/a¢ all, she couldn't say ; but she believed on her honor that it was a will. Mr. Simons, Mr. Carpenter's most intimate friend, had signed it also.” This was a revelation to Edmund Carpenter; but he €00k it very calmly, for Mr. Simons had been abroad for nearly a year and was likely to remain as much longer, But even In the event of his return, since no will could be round, his iaterests could not be serlously affected. as it would be natural to infer, that, if his father had ever drawnb up such a document, be must afterward have destroyed it. To Walter, however, this state of things seemed inex- plicable. He had confidently believed that his Uncle Ralph, as he had been taught to call him, had made a will; for he had distinctly old him, only a tew hours before he died, that ‘he had made ample provision for him; that there would be abundant means to enable him to do anything he liked.” But now he was dependent entirely upon Edmund's generosity, dadthe feeling of dependence was very gaH- ing tohim, He knew that: Edmund had never regarded him with favor; there had been a hundred ways by whieh he had betrayed it when not in the presence of his tather, and his life, now that his best friend was gone, was lonely and sad indeed, He was left very much to himself, to go or come as he pleased. Edmund seldom addressed him or noticed him in any way. .Atmeal time his presence at table was fgnored, except when good Mrs. Coxon would try to make things a little more cheerful and pleasant, by seeking to draw him into conversation, whereupon, Kd- mund would immediately subside into dignified silence ; and, as the days went on and the time for his return to college drew near, there were many ways by which Walter was made to feel like an alien and Bn, tn the house, iS niruder OOKS.COnN