Ruby's Reward — page 198: what you’re looking at

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

_ He bent down before her, saying, with infinite ten- _derness, while his eyes were full of tears : “Let me take off your wraps, Ruby, and make you -eomfortable, then I will leave you, if you wish.” __ He removed her heavy cloak, untied her sable bonnet, and laid it aside, took off her thick over- shoes, and then drew her chair close beside the glow- te. ie kre you comfortable now?’ he questioned, his heart beating with a sweet, fond hope, for she had let him wait upon her like a trusting child, and as if he had the right to do so. ie “Yes, thank you.” _ “Can I do anything more before I go?” The sorrowing girl shook her head. She could not speak, for his gentle kindness had unnerved her, and two great tears, the first that she had shed, flashed out upon her silken lashes and rolled down her cheeks. : Walter bent lower over her, his heart aching for er. “You will let me know—you will send for me if I can be of any use at any time?’ he pleaded. She looked up at him. There was a world of tenderness in his face, and his eyes told her, as plainly as eyes could tell, how dearly he loved her, and how he longed to comfort er. She broke down utterly then. '_ Reaching out her hand, she clasped the one that he had laid upon the arm of her chair and cried. help- | lessly as on | Com Cece