Ruby's Reward — page 99: what you’re looking at

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

ee a Se ee ew Se “Tdo not helieve they arc, Mr Richard- son, only among supet ficial people, or among those who have been wrongly educated,” Ruby responded, thoughtfully, ‘'To me a true and noble inan or woman ik a@ person to be revered. Money and position, I know, are gient advantages under certaju cirenm- stances, but they are not to be campared with honour or a strong, brave character” —like yours, she wanted to add, but did not. ‘I would iather Jose every dollar of my fortunc~1 would tather my brothe: should lose all he is worth than be convicted of a mean or dishonourable act.” Walter Richardson mentally crowned the beautiful girl as ‘fa queen among women ” for these noble sentiments, and, if he truth had been told, she became, from that moment, queen of his heart as well. She arose almost immediately, saying, with a smile: “Well, we have drifted into rather a serious vein; but it is getting quite dark, and Iam afraid our friends will think we are unappreciative of their hospitality to leave them so long on this first evening.” Walter sprang to his feet to attend her, and together they wended their way back to the farm-house in the twilight, feeling that they had become better acyuainted with each other during this one brief in- terview than during all their previous mectiugs, while, to one heart at least, life was for ever changed by that delightful interchange of thouzht beside the mountain spring on that lovely autumnal exsaasgs.com