Ruby's Reward — page 342: what you’re looking at

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

A young girl was passing through a quiet street, from one busy thoroughfare to another, in the city, one afternoon, when, at a sudden cry, she stopped short and looked about her in a startled way. Aunie! Annie!” called a wild, shrill voice from somewhere above her, she could not tell just where. “Annie! oh, Annie!’ came again in agonized tones, She looked up and down the street—up at the win- dows on each side of hex, but the sun was shining so fiercely that she was blinded and could distinguish nothing. Then the same voice cried: “Here! here! Catch whatI throw you, and don't lose it for the world.” Thenext moment a queer looking package, wrapped in letter paper aud tied about with thread, dropped almost at her feet. She picked it up, and then shading her eyes with her hand looked again to see whence it had come. She could distinguish the hole in the window now, away up four stories above her; but there was 10 one there, for with those last words and the effort which she had been obliged to make in throwing her recious message to her friend, Ruby’s strength had ailed her, and she had sunk weak and fainting upon the floor. The young girl to whom she had throw! ‘te communication, which was to accomplish s9 90 )'cl, was Annie Partridge, one of Ruby’s stanceh, true friends; and just as she had secured the struise object that had been hurled at her, and Wes won dering whence it had come and what it contained, a rough, but kind-looking old man came hurriedly up to her. “Where did that come from, young wolnan "” he asked, in an agitated tone, and looking wikdiy about him. “I heard that voice calling you, paz juould