Ruby's Reward — page 59: what you’re looking at

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

CHAPTER YVITi. A SURPRISING DISCOVERY. | Runy slipped ont of the drawing-room again to take the poet’s message to Mr Ruggles, but she was waylaid in the hal | by Edmund Carpenter, who said that he wished to introduce her to a friend; and: before she was aware of his intention, he had led her back into the coutre of the merry group of young peaple, from whom it was impossible to gct away for some time. She felt uncasy and anxious until she saw Mr Whitfield quietly leave the room, and knew that he had gone to mect his ec- centric visitor, and then she gave herself up to the enjoymend of the moment, and spon became xo absorbed in the merriment surrounding her that she almost forgot tho amusing episode of a half-hour previous, until a suppressed titter behind her caused her to turn around, when she was astonished and somewhat dismayed to behold Mr Owen Ruggles seated upon an elegant blue velvet chair in a conspicuous portion of the room, and gazing upon the gay and brilliant scene about hin witha face expressive of mingled avonder and enjoyment. Edmund Carpenter, wha had remained by her side, also tnrned at the same mo- ment, and she saw him give a violent start, while he flushed hotly, and a dark frown settled over his face. He took a step forward, as if to go to_the mau ; then, suddenty changing his mind, he turned his back squarely upun hin, as if desirous of avoiding his notice. — comicbosks.com