"Habberton, John - Everybody's Chance" - читать интересную книгу автора (Habberton John)

"Keep that to start your fortune with," said Champ. "There's money here for you
if you choose to work for it."
"Here? Where? How?"
"By cutting away these trees. If you'll do it, and keep at the job until it is
done, you may have all of the wood. Good firewood brings three dollars a cord in
town during the winter months, which aren't far off, and the supply is none too
great. There's at least a couple of hundred dollars' worth here, and I want it
out of the way, but I've not the time to do it myself."
"'Tis mine, then!" exclaimed Charley joyously. "I'll go home at once for my
axe."
"You needn't take that trouble," said Champ, anxious to get away from the
spectacle of a man so happy, and from such a cause. "You may use mine for the
remainder of the day. When you come back after dinner, perhaps you can persuade
your father to help you; I'm 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'Ч"
"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