Ruby's Reward — page 298: what you’re looking at

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

She turned, as the door closed after him, to go up stairs to pack her trunk, but Edmund Carpenter came forward, Waid his hand ad ro her shoulder with some thing of an air of authority, and said: “Miss Gordon, ee would like a few minutes’ conver- sation with you’ Her heart bounded into her throat, and she might have lost her self possession entirely, but that ‘his familiar touch angered her 80, She drew back from him and lifted her head proudly, “Ts it anything very special. I have all wy pack: ing to do, you know,” she said, coldly, “Th. 18 ‘of 80 much importance that [ must insist ; but I hope not to detain you many minutes. Come | into the parlor, if you please, as what I wish to say to youis of a private nature. Ruby knew now that there was to be war, and she longed for the protection of Mr. Ruggles. But she braced herself for the interview, passing on before him into the parlor, where he immediately locked the Qoor. She turned Upon him with flashing eyes at this act. “T consider that « very unnecessary proceeding, Mr. Carpenter,” she said, naughtily. “J do not, begging your yardon for disagreeing with you,” he replied w ith @ Sluite of triumph, “But, to coine to the point at onve, Ruby-— She made an impatient ceature. “T object to being addressed so faliliarly,” she said authoritatively. Edmund Carpenter laughed outright at this. She looked so pretty and spirited in her anger that na rather enjoyed arousing it. “Very well, Miss Gordon, if that suits you better,” he replied. “But, as I said before, to come at once to the point, I believe you have something in your possession that belongs to me.” “To what do you refer?’ ahe demanded, meeting his eyes steadily, and not changing color in the least, although her heart was beating with a Satntptbls that almost guftoc ated her, essen at fal