Ruby's Reward — page 169: what you’re looking at

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

ee ee ee ee “What do you mean, Robert?” the young girl asked, claspinge both her small hands about his arm, and searching his face with anxious earnestness. He gently unclasped her hands, and, | with anguish written upon every feature of his fine face, drew her close to his breast. **Ruby, can you bear to hear all?” he asked. She caught her breath quickly, and her face grew white with a sudden fear. Was her idolised brother implicated in the wrong that had brought ruin upon him and his company? Shoe dare not utte: the thought aloud, yet ié piercect her heart like a knife, Again she searched his face; but there was nothing Tike shame or dishonour stamped upon it, and she replied : “Yean bear anything better than to see you look so broken-hearted, Tell me all your trouble,” she pleaded, pressing her lips softly against his cheek. Somothing like a sob burat from the strong man, aud he hugged her almost con- vilsively to him, “Darling, you are « little comforter,” fhe saith; ‘but my trouble is ore on your account ond Estelle’s than upon my own, ITamaman, and 1 can bear to free poverty rand loss. Ruby, could you hear to lve poor ? Have you any idca what it means to be | poor 2” | © T do not suppose I have, really, but I think there ave some things that would be ‘harder to bear than poverty,” Ruby re- turned, gravely. What do yor mean, Ruby ?” “Vt would be a thousand times worse if— if you werd in Myr Currier’s placo— if you Lad been guilty of dishonor.” comicbosts.com a tm