Ruby's Reward — page 221: what you’re looking at

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

Ruby would not have been so comfortable had she known that all this had been arranged with speciul reference to herself—that it was but part of the plot to entangle her in a net from which she would feel there was no escape but to marry the man she de- apised. But Ruby had no suspicion of anything wrong; so she leaned back among the soft cushions with a vsigh of delight, and gave herself up to the enjoyment of the moment, They drove for nearly two hours and enjoyed every minute of the time. Mrs. Gordon, who was in her happiest vein, ex- erted herself to be agreeable and entertaining, and Ruby could not tail to be somewhat infected by her exuberance, and her face had not looked so bright and rosy for many a day. Just as they were passing the entrance to Fair- mount Park, at Egglestield, a horseman dashed out from under one of the arches ot the bridge, and a single glance was sufficient to show Ruby that it was nove other than Edmund Carpenter, mounted upon a beautiful and spirited chestnut horse. A look of well-teigned surprise crossed his tace as he appeared to recognize them; then he lifted his hat, and bowed, and smiled. The next moment he had dashed up beside the ear- riage and was asking Mrs. Gordon, in his blandest toues: “Whither have you two ladies flitted so suddenly: T called at your rooms this morning to see if I could persuade one or both of you to attend chureh with 1e, and was told that you had gone out of town for he summer.” “Yes; we left only yesterday. We have found a most delightful retreat, and deem ourselves remark- ably fortunate. Come home and take tea with us, and see for yourself if we are not pleasantly situ- ated,” said Mrs. Gordon, with as much cordiality and composure as if all this had not "Seite BALE of the plot. a So A Sees com