Ruby's Reward — page 219: what you’re looking at

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

It was now empty, however, and in the care of Mrs. Coxon and a servant; and the young man and his accomplice, both intent upon the same object, had planned that Ruby and Mrs, Gordou should go there to spend the summer, where they intended, by strategy, or by compromising her in some way, to force the young girl to accept Mr, Carpenter’s pro- posrals. It was base and mean, but Edmund Carpenter was aman who would stop at nothing to gain his own ends, while Mrs. Gordon’s god being money, she felt that almost any measure was justifiable in order ta secure 80 handsome and rich a prize for her young sister, and, with it, a luxurious home for herself for the future, or until she, too, should sueceed in cap- turing a wealthy suitor. They knew that they ran some risk of exposure through Walter, but Edmund had learned that he had left the city to superintend a contract which would keep him away fora long time, and he reasoned that if they could get Ruby settledat Forestvale, it would not be hard to keep her there. Mrs. Gordon would refuse to make any change, and doubtless Ruby would feel obliged to remain with her. Mrs. Gordon had taken care that their former landlady should not know whither they were going, and hoped thus, in case Walter should call, if he chanced to come to the city on business, to keep the knowledge of their whereabouts from him. Ifshe had known, however, that the young people were already lovers, and in the habit of corresponding, she might not have felt so confident of the success of her plans. On the last Saturday in May the two ladies left the sultry city, and Ruby found their summer home even more delightful than she had anticipated. <A feeling of intense satisfaction and content took possession of her as they wandered about the lovely grounds after tea, getting an invigorating breeze from the river, commenting upon the lovely views all about them, and the beauty and comforts of the piace khev had been so fortunate in securing, :