Everybodys Chance | Page 6

sure he would do
it if he knew the reason. Two pairs of hands are better than one at such
a job, for 'twill be no easy one, I assure you."

"Thank you," said Charley. "I'll be glad to have my father with me, for
reasons which I needn't explain to you. But, Champ, I feel as if I could
do the whole job myself, in a very short time. Oh, I feel like a giant."
"Indeed?" was the reply, given almost with a sneer.
"Yes, indeed. Oh, you may look that way if you like, but you don't
understand the feeling. Just wait, though, until you are fairly in love
yourself, an'--"
"Oh, don't talk to me in that way," exclaimed Champ, biting his lips
and turning aside; he felt that if he did not quickly get away he would
fly at the fellow and strangle him.
"But I must talk so," persisted Charley, "and you are the only man to
whom I can do it, for no one else knows of my great fortune but you.
To think that I am the only man in the village who is so richly blessed.
There's no other girl in Brundy who can compare with Luce; honestly
now, old fellow, is there?"
Champ took his knife from his pocket and began to shave the rough
bark from the coat of a slippery-elm tree.
"I do believe you think there is," said Charley, looking curiously at his
companion, "and that you're in love with her. Oh, you sly chap! You
always were the quietest young man in the town, and have seldom paid
attention to any of the girls, but I do believe I have found you out. Who
is she? I won't tell anybody. I'd like to know that some other man is as
happy as I. Has she said 'Yes'?"
"Will you kindly attend to your own business and leave mine to me?"
asked Champ, suddenly turning on Charley a face like a thunder-cloud.
The younger man exclaimed quickly:
"I beg a thousand pardons, Champ. I didn't mean to be impertinent.
You never saw anything like that in me, did you?"
"Not until a few moments ago," was the reply. "But I don't want ever to

see it again."
"You shan't, I assure you," said Charley in haste, as he began to tone
down his excitement by attacking the largest tree near at hand. He
worked vigorously several moments, but finally stopped to say:
"Let me talk of Luce, though. She is so grand, so good, so unlike all
other girls. I've thought myself in love before, but I soon found out
'twas all fancy." Charley leaned on his axe and looked contemplatively
at the ground a moment or two before he continued: "Other girls
seemed to like me to make love to them, but it soon became an old
story to both of us, for they seemed to have nothing in their minds but
what was trifling and merely romantic, but Luce-- why, there's
something in the very tone of her voice that makes her seem different
from every other young woman, and better. She's-- she's-- oh, she's
thoroughly womanly, while the others are merely girlish. Don't you
think that is the proper distinction, so far as you have observed her and
other Brundy girls?"
As Charley asked this question he raised his eyes for the answer, but
Champ was no longer standing before him. Charley looked slowly
about him, but could see Champ nowhere; then he quickly peered
between the trees, in every direction, and finally saw Champ, some
distance away, walking rapidly and with his fingers to his ears.
"I declare," exclaimed the young man to himself, yet softly, as if he
feared that even the trees had ears, "I believe I've been making a fool of
myself. I didn't suppose, though, that a man generally so kind and
sympathetic as Champ could have been quite so rude. Did I really say
anything that was dreadfully silly?"
He thought a little while about it, and this naturally set him to thinking
about Luce, and the subject was so interesting that he could not give
any attention to anything else, so he leaned against a tree and indulged
in delightful day-dreaming for he knew not how long. Neither could he
afterward imagine how long he might have continued at his congenial
occupation had he not been startled by a footfall, and, looking about
him, seen Champ returning with an axe in his hand. Champ at first

looked sheepishly toward him and said:
"I thought I could spare half a day to help you." When, however, the
big fellow cast his eyes about and saw not a tree had been felled since
he made his escape he glared savagely at Charley, and