Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1904-06-23
CHAPTER XVII.

From the orthodox standpoint Of
Grccnvalc, old Cy was Sabbath
breaker. an unregcnerate old scOffcr.
outcast vagabOnd. and one best to
avoid. From the boys point Of view
he was most delightful Old cOmrade,
whose knowledge Of woodcrait was
marvellous. whose method of exist
encc was the only right and proper
one. and whose companionship was tC
be sought at all times.
He knew whore all the best trout
pools We're. how 10 line up and find
the bee trees. set snares ana traps;
where nuts. berries, and wild grapes
could be found; and more than all
this, he was ready at all times to
share this lore with them. lie was
TO them veri*able Leatherstocking
Confined on a background Of forest,
field and stream. ard his shapeloss
hat patched raiincnt, kindly face. and
quaint speech We're familiar 10 all
With dog and gun always, and some
of the village boys occasionally for
companions. he rOamed the woods
and followed the streams about
Greonvalc, or worked for Aunt Com
fort when needed. lie lived in "A
hoyol on her premises. was temperate,
honest, and a friend 10 everybody ex-
cept David Curtis There wNs ample
reason for that exception. N the
long ago. old Cy, schoOlma1c friend,
and companion of AMI Curtis, and
later Working for him in the mill, had
aSpired 20 own a reapecrablo dwell
ing. lie bousht small tract of land
on the village outskirts, contracted
with David Curtis for lumber, and
when the house was built gave him
mortgage to secure payment. That
was almost accomplished when AMI
so mysteriously vanished. Bat lack
of employment and illness fell 10 Cy'
lot, he failed To pay as agreed then
David forecloscd, and after that old
Cy became a vagabond, as it were.
Martin had been one of his boy
admirers, and now since his return
had induced the old man TO take him
fishing, and later to superintend the
building OF his dam and the clearing
of land for a trout preserve. 1t was
while thus engaged that Il new thought
came to Matchmaking less than TO
/ buy the Nlizly falls and swamp above,
/ build low dam where the falls were,
and food a large area for trout and
/ pleasure purposes
There was also another consider
alton
These falls the keynote to any
manufacturing opportunities or future
growth of Grcenvale, were a valuable
power that might become more so,
and as a purely business investment.
It seemed wise one to Martin. For
a few days he thought about il, and
| the more ne thought, the moro Tempt
ing in many ways the investment
seemed.
"Cy,' he said, when they We're by
themselves, how much of the My
swamp does Dave Curtis own. and
what do You imagine he would ask
for the falls and the land above
thom?"
Old Cy looked al him in astonish-
ment. Il know every rod he owns
above EN-" he answered finally, but
We couldn't buy one 'thout payin' ten
times what it's wuth, n then deed
on t amt no good 'thout AMI 5
sisnin'."
"Oh, ] expect that answered Mar
tin. indifferently. "and as far as
Amzi's signature-why, he'll never
come back. II must be twenty years
since he disappeared"
I'm not so sure o that" responded
old Cy, resolutely; I've allus held he
was still alive, n | believe it yit. Ez
fer Dawes settin' price on the Mizzy
falls n his land. he's been figgeriug
with some out O town already.
heerd him."
You heard him!"
II did. fer sartin. was up the
Mzzy one day last spring, huntin'
fer mink trap that had got dragged
off. n, | heard some one comm
through the brush n laid low,
Twas Dave n IA city man, n Dave
was. shown lin round and telli"'