Ruby's Reward — page 274: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XXXYV. RUBY GAINS A CLEW. “Hum! I've imagined that Ednsind meant to marry you from the first,’ Mr. Ruggles remarked, reflectively, as Ruby concluded her recital; ‘but I'd about as soon think of chaining you to a wild beast, for he’d break your heart in less than a year with his tyranny and selfishness.” Mr. Ruggles invited Ruby to go with him to Red- ville, but she declined, thinking it best to remain near Walter, and decided to seek a boarding-house in the city. They conversed somewhat longer, and then turned their steps back to the house. It was quite dark when they reached the mansion, and Ruby invited Mr. Ruggles to come in and rest a while before re- turning to the city. He seemed very willing to do so, but upon enter- ing the parlor they found Edmund Carpenter and Mrs. Gordon there, engaged evidently in a contiden- tial conversation. Mr. Carpenter, however, arose with alacrity and greeted his relative with great apparent cordiality— inquired after his wife, his coal-mines, and would have made himself very sociable indeed. But Mr. Ruggles was altogether too outspoken and straightforward to endure that kind of talk long, when his heart was burning with indignation for Walter’s wrongs, and he immediately tackled his half-nephew upon the subject in a way to make the young man feel that he might become an antagonist who was likely to make his plans somewhad Gui ent to carry out.