Ruby's Reward — page 60: what you’re looking at

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

Ruby's first thought was for her proud- spirited sister; but a glance showed her surrounded by a coterie of literary people, sad she knew she had not yet espied her aninvited gucst. She then set her keen little wits to work to devise some way of entieing hin from the place, without wound- ing him or attracting attention. She slipped quietly away fiom her friends, and gliding over to where Mr Ruggles sat, asked him if he had seen Mr Whitfield. Yes, he told her, the poet had come to him, talked with hima few moments, and then written his name in a little beok that he had ‘‘ brought along on purpose.” “T wouldn’s part with it fora thousand doltars, miss, he said, fumbling in his poc- ket for it to show hev. “I come thee hundred miles to get it, and Pm the roudest man inthe city to-night. Guess we left itin the other room, atter all,” he added, as he did not seem to find it, “PL get it before Igo, Icouldn’t leave with- out saying good-bye to you, mvs, and thanking you for being so kind | I sew you in here, but didn’t like to step in between you and your friends, so sat down to wait until you were free. I sha'n't forget your kindness, you may be sure.” “You are very welcome to what little I have done,” Ruby replied, smiling ; ‘and now, since you are so fond of Mr Whit- tield’s poems, wouldn’t you lke to ccme with me and look at some pictiies which illustrate some of them ’’ “Pm afiaid it will put you out, besides taking you fram your frieuds,” returned Mr Rugeles, doubtfully. ““Qh, no; it will be a pleasure,” and, withont waiting for further objections, Ruby led him back to the librarycomtebeotss.com eee. _ mc if? ,; * 4 = eax