Ruby's Reward — page 346: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER XLV. THE ACQUITTAL. At ten o’clock the next morning Walter’s case was called, It was evident, the moment that the wit- nesses for the defense entered the room, that they were allin a very different frame of mind from what they had been on the previous day. The harassed, anxious look had all faded from Walter's face, and he wore an air of quiet confidence and self-possession, which made Edmund Carpenter east puzzled and malignant glances at him, and qauneg him to wonder what had come over the ac- cused. ; Mr. Conant and Mr. Ruggles were both unusually placid; there was none of that repressed anxiety in their manner that there had been yesterday ; they sat a little apart from the others, and wore a self-assured look that was very perplexing. Mrs. Gordon, who camein rather late and took a seat by herself, after barely recognizing ;the other occupants of the room, alone seemed to have lost something of her customary dignity and tranquillity of manner. She looked pale and sad, and there were traces of agitation and tears upon her countenance. This made Edmund Carpenter a trifle uneasy. Had this woman turned coward and made up her mind to confess the truth, and thus give his enemy an oppor- tunity to triumph ever him? He bitterly repented ever having allowed himself to reveal what he had disclosed to her; he ought to have kept his own counsel, and he need have no fear of any one then. Stillhe could not believe that she would ever bring herself to brave the scandal which would enstie upon a confession of the truth. He was sure that she pos- sessed neither the courage nor the principle to he it unless driven to it; and who was there to drive her? Had she not told him that nolhing should ever drag it from her? comicbooks.com he a Pee te ra en Eh ee oe aOR ee a. Ee Seine, ie