At last the rails were laid to Nootwyck, and the village was in the buzz of excitement. From all along the route people assembled to celebrate the arrival of the incoming train, which was loaded with prospectors and new inhabitants. Mills was on the train and his uniformly gracious manner won him the good-will of these honest people.
The depot, which was to be a handsome structure, was under way, but a rude shanty answered the purpose now.
As the train swerved around a curve a shout went up, such as had not resounded in this peaceful valley since the days when they cheered, “Taxation of America.”
Mills sprang to the platform, shaking hands right and left and dilating upon the future of the valley. He took a carriage for Wawarsing, where the next section of men was ballasting, and further still, Elisha Vedder with his skilled assistants was pushing on.
Elisha Vedder was now a member of the De Vere household, and in the great handsome fellow, with his hearty manner and big heart, Mr. De Vere saw simply the development of noble traits shown years ago in Missouri. Under his skillful management, the road promised to be completed by fall. Mills’s manner towards him was straight-forward. He was keen enough to perceive that this great-hearted, honest engineer would tolerate nothing but the best methods in making the road a success, and any economical schemes he might propose must be supported by proof as to their sufficiency. Elisha knew exactly what the cost of putting this road through would be, and intended that every dollar of the company’s funds should be honestly expended. Toward Mills his manner was respectful, but the latter realized that, as one of the directors, no manipulation of books nor watering of stock would be tolerated. Then too, he was backed by one of the richest mine owners in the State, who considered his honor much more precious than all the treasures of earth combined.
“Ah!” thought Mills, with a look of malicious triumph, “you discovered the mine, but those precious jewels are simply the product of Benny Depuy’s distorted imagination, are they? Hernando Genung, have a care, that old score is still unsettled. Would you adorn the fair Celeste with those sparkling gems? She would grace them, but there is a sequel to this matter.”
His inspection over, he was about to re-enter his carriage when Vedder inquired the prospects for running a branch through to connect with the Ulster and Delaware.
“Rather dubious,” Mills replied. “All the way up hill, and what is the country to be opened up worth?”
“The cost, in my estimation, need not be so great. The route beyond Honk Falls is a natural grade and one of the most beautiful in the United States. Its historical interests would attract thousands,” Vedder replied earnestly.
“True, Shandaken claims the honor of owning the highest peak of the Catskills. Slide Mountain has, I believe, an altitude of four thousand feet. I understand that the view from it is marvelous; that the trees are so stunted by heavy snows that their flattened branches appear like a table from which one can look down and off on a vast amphitheater of rocks, trout streams and picturesque hamlets. But scenery is not a tangible commodity, and the people regard the project as a wild-cat scheme.”