The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1895-12-05

said Gregory, humbly, and yet hoping
from his soul he did.
''Good gracious, mop Bnt Jack
grinned broadly as he answered
But there, I've no right to tell the
poor girls secrets. Come in and let's
see what they are up to-
Here, indeed, was a situation tc
tickle the imps of Hallowe'enl But g
little half hour ago Gregory was gIv-
ing up Kate in his heart forever; and
now at midnight at the Witch's Pool
here was the bashful lover. a sudden
tower of masculine determination, and
living only to throw himself at his
lady's feet.
1t was Jacks hint of Kate's mis-
placed affections that had brought
about the rapid change of heart With
the fear of a possible rival in his hith-
erto unchallenged way, Gregory saw
in twinkling that lonely life aud
bachelors grave were not for him as
long as sweet Katie walked the earth.
His coming to the pool had been a
simple matter Kate had been chal-
lenged by the house party of young
folk to go there alone at midnight, and
no sooner had Gregory heard her &C
cept, than he skulked off himsolf by
another road to meet her there and
learn his.
e.
The Witch's Pool was a strange
basin Of water, hidden in shady
glen, about quarter of mile from
the Murray home.
1t was in reality natural spring,
but it was enclosed in a great bowl
shaped rock, that, in turn, rested on a
fiat one, and up through both of these
filtered the water SO slowly that not a
ripple was ever seen. And though
the bowl was commonly filled to the
brim, it never seemed to over flow. and
so limpid was the water that at times
it gave the illusion of there being
none at all.
About this enchanting spot had
been woven a pretty legend. In In
dian days, said Lake George folk, a
young chieftain named Black Eagle
had slam himself there for love. He
leaned his arrow upon a great rock
and fell upon it. Then instantly the
bowl formed and caught his life
stream. turning it to pure water; and
upon this his mother laid curse, vii
ling that the spirit of her son should
haunt the spot forever, and that,
come veal or woe, all who looked into
the bowl should know the truth.
So it came TO pess that on Hallow-
cen and other haunted nights the
Witch's Pool had come to be regard
ed by romantic young people as fate's
open book. Strange faces We're sean
in it, it was claimed. But if, on the
other hand. a ghostlv eagle feather
was discovered, this would be taken as
a warning of death within the year.
LIZ this place of mystery and dark
moss Gregory waited for palpitating
ten minutes. Dark at its best. at this
midnight hour the glen had taken on
a coat of blackness that could almost
be felt. At each side of the gorge
the great trees spread out their arms
and Tapped overhead It'll the sky was
hid; yard back of the pool was one
bigger than all the rest, and behind
this Gregory tucked himself.
Soon an approaching light warned
him that Kate was coming.
She had taken the precaution to
bring a lantern, and in moment she
emerged into the glen, holding it high
above her head,
Now, fancy Rosalild carrying a
lantern into the forest of Arden! For,
as Kate stepped along, the scattering
rays of her beacon. which was the old
fashioned sort. revealed the fact that
she was in her boyish hunting dress,
and never did she seem sweeter or
more at ease. The difficult approach
to the glen necessiated the becoming
change of garment, and deep in the
belief that she was alone she moved
about with the Joy and abandon of a
woodland thing.
Setting down her lantern, she pad
died her fingers in the pool moment.
Then she flew to Gregory's tree, and
with the knife in her belt carved her
initials upon it. This being the sign
agreed on to show her guests she
really had been to the glen. Then
back to the pool she went again, skip
ping. singing and swapping her fingers
from the sheer glee of being.
Here her mood changed to weep
ing, and behind his big tree Gregory
was spurred to life.
He had remained hidden from the
usual enchantment the mere sight of
her brought; but now with Kate cry
ing tender tears into the pool. for per
haps another man, his jealous rage
burst its bounds, and he tore out to
meet her
Kate" he cried, "whose face are
you looking for?'
oh" said Kate, and gave scream
that rung the welkin. Then she
righted herself and looked him cody
over.
''None of your business, sin" she
said. 'and how dare You to come here
to frighten me like thisr'
'Oh, Kate! my d ,rlingl Kate, sweet
-" and in a trice was done the
thing he had blundered over for a
year.
Now, tell me, tell me quick" be
concluded, ''whose face We're you look
ing for in the pool?"
"Why, yours, Of course, gooseyr'
and with round-eyed surprise, whose
else should l be looking for?''
wv whose, indeedw and even Jack
was forgiven in the hlissful thought.
"Then-"
"Yes."
And over tne Wltch's Pool glided
two shadow faces to meet in a perfect
understanding. With it. strange
sounds went over the glen, soft whis-
perings and sighs. the waving OF
boughs and the rustling ofleaves
Its tie black eagle" said Kate
earnestly. "They says it's always
like this when the right people look