The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1909-01-21

clothes and went out with him, be-
cause 1t seemed just as well to do that
as TO sit there in the heat thinking
| until he was crazy himself. When he
came down Doyle made him hurry in
spite OF the heat and showed him a
short cut through the woods.
From a distance, as they came out
OF the trees at the top of the bill the
pond looked just as usual to Revell,
black and CLASSY, and be felt sud
den sickening feeling over him. for
he had hoped without knowing. Then
as they drew nearer, the water began
to look white and queer, and presently
Revell began to run.
In the white moonlight, under the
shadow of half a dozen trees. Revell
knelt between the shiny rails at the
edge Of the pond and laid his hand on
cold, white, solid Ice When Doyle
came up the superintendent was
standing on it, stamping his feet ex-
ultantly 1t did not crack under him.
They went racing like boys down TO
the workmen's boarding house at the
tcSt VI ZIG Hill Auh IOuoCu INC IhCi'
They brought the tools and spikes
from the locked Toulouse. With
their own hands they carried the rails
to the top of the hill, And they
helped make up the train of their
only engine and two work cars An
hour later they did the best of the
cheering as the little train struggled
across the extemporaneOus, melting
bridge. and puffed comfortably away
down the long track on the other side.
But in the cheering the men with
the picks and spikes were not far be-
hind. Though most of them had been
born in the village and had believed
the superstition OF the pond all their
days, it had astonished them TO see
the ice actually frozen with the Their
mometer at SO degrees, but when they
saw the railroad they had worked on
so long saved by it, they postponed
their surprise and gave the best of
their energy to rejoicing.
1t must have been their voices that
walked the mayor in his house below
the hill. For. as the last white puff
Of smoke came back from the vanish
ing train. he was among them, anger
in his eye and mouth. Several other
citizens had come too and they
listened to him. Doyle listened to
him. Doyle listened And Revell
listened little. The mayor was not
mild man.
'All the water" he declared angrily.
out of your damned old pond has
leaked down and flooded my back yard
flooded it. I'll-What in hell's this"
For, suddenly, he saw the melting ice,
the departed train.
We've just been saving our fran
chse, Mr. Mayor said Revell quiet.
ly and exultantly.
Saving blue blazes," shouted the
mayor. You've drawn off all the wa
ter and flooded my house. I'll fix your
franchise. Ill-What's that? Ice?"
Yes, sir, ice" Doyle suddenly
stepped to the front, and the look he
gave the mayor told the story of a
hate better than the author of the
| 400-page novel by that name ever
| dreamed of doing The pond, you
| see, his voice grew very low and
| gentle, and quite Unexpectedly his
| smileless face smiled; The pond,
| sir, went to sleep"
Day was just beginning to break
| The mayors glance met Doyle's
| straight Then he quoted and looked
| around him - perceived the tired
white, happy faces of the men, the
| hot, heavy air, at his feet the melting
ice, and before him Doyle, standing
| smiling gently.
Well I'm damned" said the mayor
and turning, walked down the hill.
He meant that he was beaten and
Doyle knew it. Whether anyone else
did or not was no matter.
After the men were all gone, Doyle
and the superintendent still stood by
the pond that had gone to sleep.
Well" said Revell, laughing
you'd better get your machine and
go to cutting the ice, Doyle. You
| kIO" l Sdlu you Noula nave IL loi
your ice-house Though the Lord only
knows how it got here, can't believe
it really froze," he ended.
Doyle took up pick stepped down
on the ice, scraped away the slush
and showed the railroad man some
deep. rectangular cracks:
Il think | will get my wagon and
cart it back to my ice-house. | brought
it last night, after I'd drawn the water
off the pond and drowned out our re
spected mayor.
He stood looking at the superln
tendent and the superintendent stood
looking at him.
The mayor was opposed to the
railroad" said Doyle, quietly; 81
wasn't"
They both smiled Then they
shook hands. And little later Revel
walked down to the station and tele
graphed to the president 'Trair
crossed line at four this "a m. Fran
chse saved Revell.'
Sensitive Audience.