Ruby's Reward — page 365: what you’re looking at

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

Madam had wanted to take her directly home with her as soon as the trial was concluded ; for her heart had gone out to the lovely girl from the moment of her introduction to her, But Ruby, seeing how ill Mrs. Gordon was, felt that her. duty was, for the present, with her, and she had answered: “Estelle needs me, and I must not leave her until she gets well; even then she will have no one to care for her, and itis so dreadful to teel that one is all alone in the world.” She could not forget her own recentsense of desola- tion, and her tender heart prompteg her to throw what sympathy and care she could around the lonely iis in spite of the injury which she had done ner, “Tt seems to me she is not over and above deserv- Ing of such selt-saucritice,” madam had replied ; ‘*she has not shown any very great sense of her duty to you in the past.” “Well—but she was Robert's wile; he loved her, and for his sake I shall stay with her while she is sick; while, truly, Estelle usedto be very good to me in the old days,” Ruby pleaded in extenuation of the offender, “Yes,” thought madain, ‘‘when everything was sinooth and pleasant, when there was nothing to cross her and goodness required no effort.” But she had too much respect for the young girl's noble decision to say more then, only she meant to have her just as soon as possible. : She rode to town every day to see her an@ finally, to hasten matters, insisted that they should both ceme to her as soon as Mrs. Gordon was able to be moved, “ud Buby. feeling that the change would be the best thing for her sister, immediately proposed it upen the departure of her new friend. ‘Yes, I shall be able,” Mrs, Gordon answered, brightening at once; ‘my illness has beeu catlsed more by mental distress than anything else, but ow that you have assured me that you really torsive Beene eee not lose x ON ade Maha as I feared I might, I shall soon be well. ut, Ruby, LOU Weg to teach again this fall?” ESoROUBCO