"Mr. McVey, the celebrated inventor, and I both want to stick to our own
people," he said, regardless of the fact that Hugh knew nothing of the
article and had never been taken into the lives of the people addressed.
A day was set for the beginning of the taking of stock subscriptions, and
in private conversations Steve whispered of huge profits to be made. The
matter was talked over in every household and plans were made for raising
money to buy stock. John Clark agreed to lend a certain percentage on the
value of the town property and Steve secured a long-time option on all the
land facing Turner's Pike clear down to Pickleville. When the town heard
of this it was filled with wonder. "Gee," the loiterers before the store
exclaimed, "old Bidwell is going to grow up. Now look at that, will you?
There are going to be houses clear down to Pickleville." Hugh went to
Cleveland to see about having one of his new machines made in steel and
wood and in a size that would permit its actual use in the field. He
returned, a hero in the town's eyes. His silence made it possible for the
people, who could not entirely forget their former lack of faith in Steve,
to let their minds take hold of something they thought was truly heroic.
In the evening, after going again to see the machine in the window of the
jewelry store, crowds of young and old men wandered down along Turner's
Pike to the Wheeling Station where a new man had come to replace Hugh.
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