Ruby's Reward — page 38: what you’re looking at

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

Just as Walter arose to go, there came a light step and a rustle outside the library door; then a gontle tap. “Robert, may I come in?” queried a sweet voice, and, without waiting for a reply, the door swung open, and a vision of loveliness appeared upon the threshold. Waltor stood spell-bound, Tho beautiful girl of whom he had been dyeing for months appoared like a framed picture in the doorway. ; She was clad in a misty dress of white tullo and lace, looking as if she had suddenly dropped to earth from some fleecy cloud, Thelight. airy costume suited hor delicate sbyle of beauty to perfection, and her only ornaments were sprays of dark-green feathery ferns, that made a charming con- trast, and nadded and quivered with every movement of her graceiul figure. “ Excuse ane, Robert,” she said, flushing and drawing back, as she met Walter’s admiring eyes, and recognised him in- stantly ; “IT did not know you had com- pany. ‘Never mind, Ruby, you know I told you to come to me before you went ont,” replied Mr Gordon, turning to the bright vision with a smile. ‘ You look like a fairy fresh from gome mountain dell, and if I were going {0 Mrs White's lawn party, I should claim, you for at least half-a-dozen dances. But, pardon me,” he added, turn- ing to Walter, who stood irvesolute and embarrassed before the beautiful appari- tion, ‘Mr Richardson, allow me to intro- duee my sister, Miss Gordon.”