The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Fighting Chance, by Robert W. Chambers

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Title: The Fighting Chance

Author: Robert W. Chambers

Release Date: February, 2005 [EBook #7492]
Posting Date: August 5, 2009

Language: English

Character set encoding: ASCII

*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIGHTING CHANCE ***

Produced by Jeffrey Kraus-yao

[Illustration: "She was standing beside the fire with Quarrier, one foot
on the fender."]

The Fighting Chance

By Robert W. Chambers

Author of "Cardigan," "The Maid at Arms," "The Firing Line," etc.

DEDICATED TO MY FATHER

CONTENTS

CHAPTER

I. Acquaintance
II. Imprudence
III. Shotover
IV. The Season Opens
V. A Winning Loser
VI. Modus Vivendi
VII. Persuasion
VIII. Confidences
IX. Confessions
X. The Seamy Side
XI. The Call of the Rain
XII. The Asking Price
XIII. The Selling Price
XIV. The Bargain
XV. The Enemy Listens

THE FIGHTING CHANCE

CHAPTER I. ACQUAINTANCE

The speed of the train slackened; a broad tidal river flashed into sight
below the trestle, spreading away on either hand through yellowing level
meadows. And now, above the roaring undertone of the cars, from far
ahead floated back the treble bell-notes of the locomotive; there came
a gritting vibration of brakes; slowly, more slowly the cars glided to
a creaking standstill beside a sun-scorched platform gay with the bright
flutter of sunshades and summer gowns.

"Shotover! Shotover!" rang the far cry along the cars; and an
absent-minded young man in the Pullman pocketed the uncut magazine he
had been dreaming over and, picking up gun case and valise, followed a
line of fellow-passengers to the open air, where one by one they were
engulfed and lost to view amid the gay confusion on the platform.

The absent-minded young man, however, did not seem to know exactly where
he was bound for. He stood hesitating, leisurely inspecting the flashing
ranks of vehicles--depot wagons, omnibusses, and motor cars already
eddying around a dusty gravel drive centred by the conventional railroad
flower bed and fountain.

Sunshine