Ruby's Reward — page 337: what you’re looking at

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

“But ad was ‘so late in the afternoon before his case was called, that it was thought best to putit over until the next day, and thus the anxious witnesses were released until the following morning at ten. Then Mr. Ruggles, Mr. Conant, and Walter met to discuss ways and means to tind Ruby, and, after a brief consultation, separated, each to pursue the course laid out for him. Mrs. Gordon passed a most wretched night. She was thoroughly frightened about her young sister, and began to realize something-of the enormity ot her own conduct toward her, in having lent herself to a plot to ruin her happiness and a young man's honor. Ruby's goodness, her unvarying sweetness and gentleness came up before her in contrast to her own harshness, her selfishness and intrigue, and she bitterly repented of the wrong she had done her. She resolved that she would make an end of her own duplicity at once, and confess the plot that had been laid to ruin Walter, She had seen Madam Howland that day, and learned ot the change in his prospects; she had seen how the noble woman lover hie and depended wpon him; how kind and devoted he was to her, and she was determined that the young man’s fair fame should not be sullied—the truth should be told, and he should be honorably acquitted; she would do that much to atone for the past, whether Ruby was ever restored to her or not. During the weeks that had elapsed since Ruby’s abduction Edmund Carpenter had been very busy. He had beev getting his affairs into a condition to enable him to flee from the country at ‘octitORS Bg warning,