y. And no capital to work with! I'm up against a
crowd that has all the money, plenty of equipment, and has its supply
right at the back door of the city--and it belongs at the back door! But
you know what the buying public is! The only reason why I have lasted is
because my old customers gave me their business and are sticking pretty
well."

"My friend," declared Farr, putting his hand on the shoulder bent and
ridged by many years of ice-toting, "lots of men who are making money
as missionaries are not doing half the good in the world you're doing.
You're certainly showing some of the citizens of Marion the difference
between good ice and frozen gobs of pestilence."

"A fellow needs grit, grace, gumption, and a lot of missionary spirit to
fight what I'm fighting, mister. I ain't going to say anything about
a lot of obstacles the syndicate has put in my way. Those were to be
expected in the way of regular business competition. But you can see I
have only got limited resources here, and I can't afford a big outfit
in the city. Sometimes I have run short, the best I could do--and it's
mighty little sleep I have. And the Consolidated drivers have refused
to sell ice to anybody who has been buying of me even when mothers have
pleaded so as to keep milk for sick babies from souring. That's orders
from headquarters! You wouldn't think that the same big chaps who boss
the governor of the state would get down to such nubbins as that, eh?
But they do--that's their system. They used to tell me that it's the
only way a big syndicate can keep its grip--never leave a bar down! Yes,
sir, they have blacklisted my customers until they'll be good and give
the Consolidated a yearly contract. More than that, they pass word along
that I'll be out of business by another season and that folks who have
bought of me this year will be given the go-by next! Can you beat it?"

"Are you going to see out to them?"

"No," said the iceman, grimly. "There are two good reasons: I won't sell
and they won't buy. They will kill me out so that nobody else will be
encouraged to try the scheme again."

"I want a job," stated Farr, curtly. "I want to work for you. Give me a
place on one of your carts in the city."

"Say, look here," blurted the other man, frankly astonished, "you look
more like a gent than an iceman!"

"No matter what I look like. The main question is, can I lug ice? Feel
of my muscle!"

"It may be a poor outlook for your pay--workin