The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-01-19
CHAPTER XII

Maurie Sears did fix up the tour
ist camp contract, too. 1t didn't give
me any the best Of it, but that was
all right. knew I could trust judi
dy to do the square thing. He was
looking after her interest, not mine.
At that, he covered me at a couple
OF points wouldn't have thought
Of, in case of Juddy's death. At
our first meeting the lawyer had
rubbed me the wrong way. Now
/ felt different about him. I've
noticed that about 80 per cent of
people; the better you know them
the more liable you are TO find
things about them that you like.
That's pretty good batting aver
age for human nature.
Well Mauric Sears felt it his
duty as a gentleman and Maurie
to deliver one brief, sad spiel
about the Tambay tradition and
how 1t was being smeared, mean
ing me. Juddy said:
I'm sorry, Maurie. But tradi-
ton doesn't pay back taxes"
On the way back l had an at
tack of filters. Or maybe I'd call
1t conscience if I were sure I had
one.
Look, Juddy," l said. at isn't
too late to backtrack. Say the
word and II tear up this scrap
of paper and forget It,"
What's on your mind now,
Mom?" Juddy said.
ITS this way. If this goes
flooey, I've still got the Feederia
How about you? Have you got
anything to fall back on?"
She laughed, but it wasn't a
pretty laugh. More money than
you ever thought Of, Nom" she
said. IF want TO fall In that di-
rection'
'Whtas the catch?" said.
How would you get all this
money!"
she looked at me, and then
away. That's it: how?" she said
How would you Think"
II see" I said, though I WASH t
too sure. We'll, what's stopping
you?" I had thought. Angelo"
| said.
That's not bad guess, either,
she said and laughed again.
Then we play ball?" ! said.
Yes; we play ball?" said said
After the final Wash-up that
evening the two Of us sat back
and built our tourist castle In the
air with towers and a moated
grange. Before we were through
we rad 30 iyied cabins, big cen
trail dining and dance hall with a
aiftie counter cigaret and soft
drinkie shoppie, swindle boxes,
jookeries and all the other nickel
traps, row Of gas pumps, a raft
in the stream with lighthouses for
the summer trade, canoes for rent,
and we'd worked up a banquet
business with Chambers Of Com
merce, Rotaries and KiWanises,
with a sideline of Sunday school
picnics, all through the country
side.
BY midnight Judson and Bau-
mer were a couple of millionaires.
We rented truck and ran in a
squad OF backWoodS hOmebullders.
Carpenters? They were magicians.
Those hillbillies made some passes,
and waved hammer and saw in
the air instead of wand, and the
two rows of cabins came right up
out OF the earth, complete with
plumbing, and all inside Of three
weeks. They were Of unfinished tim
Der off the place. waited with as
phalt; the kind Of thing tourists call
picturesque" and shuck out an ex-
ira dollar for. They may have been
picturesque, but they were solid and
sound, TO. Built-in- twin beds.
Shower Washbasins. Toilet Fur
nishings plain and good. Auto shell
ter beside each cabin. Glass.
We'd shaded the total cost TO a
little over six grand But the out
side stuff ran over our estimate
BY the time we we're ready to
open. our combined pile was look
ing pretty sick. Well, show me
any game where you can win a
pot without anteing.
The first cabin was rented be-
fort 1t was built. Loren Oliver
took 1t, at $40 a week. Judy was