Ruby's Reward — page 172: what you’re looking at

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

Can you endure the thought of going to live in a few close, ili furnished rooms, with coarse carpets, or worse, none at all? Oh, my darling !’ cried the strong man in tones of despair, as the enormity of the sacrifice swept over him, “ I never thought such a calamity could overtake us. I was so sure thab everything was safely invested, and now the whole ig wrenched from us at a single blow.” Ruby lifted her head and looked into her brother’s face. She was very pale, and ‘there was 2@ wistful look in her beautiful | ‘eyes, but the lines about her sweet mouth were firm and steady, | ‘Robert, don't call me a child any more,” she said. ‘*f know that T have heen little better than one all my life. But T feel like a woman now, and I wish you would treat me like one. Of course all that you have spoken of will scem a little strange for a time, but YF shall not shrink from giving up everything —cverything if it will help to lighten your trouble. Ihave read of these dreadful things happening to others, though I never havo thought of their coming to us, and so, of course, I could not realise them fully. But, oh, Robert, I would so much prefer to be poor with you, and have it no fault of your own, than to enjoy every luxury of life, and have vou guilty of agreal wrong like Mr Currier.” 2obert Gordon bent and kissed. his sister's uptiined brow with trembling lips, He could not trust himself to speak, for her noble self-abnegation unmanned him more than the knowledge of financial ruin had done ; and yet, atthe same time, it was an unspeakable comfort to have her bear it thus. comildbaskss.com