Ruby's Reward — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

* Ruggles, miss—- Owen Ruggles, of Redville ; and I’m sure youre very kind.” Ruby glided from the 100m, closing the door after her, for she knew that ber proud sister would be greatly mortified and dis- turbed if it should become generally known that this uncouth stranyer had imtrnded himself at her reception ; while she also Finew that if reporter should pet hold of Fil, the incident would be a dainty morsel Lo be served up, for the dclectation of the -hungry multitude, in the morning papers. She found her brother cnga¢ecd in a quiet conversation with the poet himeclf, With her face all aglow, and her cyes sleaminy, she glided to his side, slipped her hand withia his arm, and whispercd : * Robert, I have something rich to tell you and Mr Whittield.” “Ah! is that so? Then leb us have ib at once, by all means,” he returned, glunc- ing fondly down into her face. She told her story then, in such a charim- ing, animated way, and with such keen ap- preciation of both its drollery and pathos, that both gentlemen were ereally delighted. “Bless the man!” exclaimed Mr Whit- field, heartily, when she had concluded, while there was a suspicious moisture in his eyes; “of course I will see him! 1 do nob know when I have felt so honoured} And he has come three hundred mit.s to sev a brother man, simply because he hsppened to touch a poetic chord in his own nature and make it vibrate !” He turned as if to leave the room imme- diately, but somebody claimed his attention and he was detained, though, ina whispered aside, he told Ruby to ask Mr Ruggles to wait, and he would come to him just as | soon as he could find an opportunity todosga, | (To be Continucd.) comencoks.com