"I don't know whether I am what you call a coward,"
said Charles gravely; "but when in danger I am
always afraid."

The words were hardly uttered before a flash of
lightning, followed instantly by a tremendously
heavy clap of thunder, nearly stupified them both.
The suddenness of the shock had, for a moment,
paralyzed the energy of the youth, while Julia was
nearly insensible. Soon recovering himself,
however, Charles drew her after him into the house,
in time to escape a torrent of rain. The storm was
soon over, and their natural fear and surprise were
a source of mirth for Julia. Women are seldom
ashamed of their fears, for their fright is thought to
be feminine end attractive; but men are less easy
under the imputation of terror, as it is thought to
indicate an absence of manly qualities.

"Oh! you will never make a hero, Charles," cried
Julia, laughing heartily. "It is well you chose the
law instead of the army as a profession."

"I don't know," said the youth, a little nettled," I
think I could muster courage to face a bullet."

"But remember, that you shut your eyes, and bent
nearly double at the flash--now you owned all this
yourself."