The Yankee Champion — page 69: what you’re looking at

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

62 : THE YANKEE CHAMPION. CHAPTER VII. A NEW CHARACTER IN THE FIELD. On the next morning, Silas Ryan descended to his front room in an angry, sulky mood. He pushed Helen roughly out of his way, and as she fell upon the floor beneath the force of the push, he passed into the yard. At a short distance from the door, engaged in chopping wood, was a man, somewhere in the neighborhood of fifty vears of age, whose ap- pearance would have at once attracted the attention of any passer. He was a stout-built, heavily framed man, with grizzly, bushy hair, and a countenance that would have puzzled the most expert physiogno- mist. There was a sort of simple look about the features, an almost foolish expression, and yet none would have thought to easily deceive him when once they had seen the quick flashing of his eyes. His name was Luke Soper. Gideon was assisting him. ‘‘Luke,’’ said Ryan, still standing near the door, ‘“come here.”’ _ The man laid down his ax and approached his master. “Go out into the woods and see if that deer trap is sprung.”’ “~Pve been out once this mornin’,’’ returned Luke. ‘Then go again. It may have sprung since you were there.’ “It couldn’t; there be’ant a deer in no more’n ten mile from here, & | ‘“Go and see, I say. Do you understand?” “Ves.”