Ruby's Reward — page 294: what you’re looking at

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

“Certainly, the dress can wait, and I can wait also,” she answered, indifferently. “Did you wish for anything in the library very particularly as you came down?” the man pursued, coming nearer, where he could look more fully into her face. “I regret that you were fastened out. I could not find it in my heart to lock any door against you.” “Surely, Mr. Carpenter does not need to apologize for acting his pleasure in his own house, under any circumstances,’ Ruby said, coldly, adding, ‘‘Estelle usually goes there to read after breakfast, so it was banat that I should peep in to find her on my way own.” “Ah, that was it then,” he returned, blandly, but with a peculiar smile. He had spent the long night inthelibrary. Hehad searched every nook and cranny of that quaint, old- fashioned desk, and knew that his tather’s will was no longer there. He knew, also, that it could never have got away without hands, and he was satisfied that Ruby QGor- don had the document in her possession, or bad con- cealed it in someplace where she could get it when- ever she wanted it. He had noticed that she watched him closely when he was upon his knees behind it, searching in that aperture to tind the long hiddeu document. He was furious with himself afterward, for having betrayed so much anxiety in her presence—he might have waited until every one was in bed, tor he could see that she was arguing that he must have been an agent in its concealment from that very fact, while her eagerness to get into town on this stormy morn- ing, proved to him that she had something of more importance than dressmaking in her mind, But she was very cunning and plucky. The more he betrayed his suspicions, the more cool and self- possessed she became, and he admired her accord- ingly. He was determined, all the same, that he would extort the truth from her before the day was out. He was a desperate man, and ready for dagper. ate meusures.