NOttTir PLATTE SKMMVEKKLY TT?TRUTF.
By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
(Copyright, 1010, by Gcorgo n. Doran Co.)
"YOU WAN' TO FIGHT, EH? ALL RIGHTl"
Zynopsls. Hilary Askew, young1 Amorlcan, comes Into possession of tho
timber and other right on a considerable ncctlon of wooded land In Quebec
tho Itosny seigniory. Lamartlne, his undo's lawyor, tollH him tho property Is
of little vnlus He visits It, and finds Morris, the mnnager, away. From Lafo
Connell, mill foreman, Askew lonrns his uncle Iihh boon systematically robbed.
Ho Bees Madelclno Itosny, tho Seigneur's beautiful daughter. Askew and Con
nell reach an understanding, nnd Askew realizes the oxtont of tho fraud prac
ticed on hl uncle. Askew loams that Morris, whllo manager of his (Askew's)
property, Is associated with tho Sto. Mario company, n rlvnl concern, of which
Edouard Brousscau Is tho ownor. Hilary discharges Morris.
fifes
CHAPTER Ill-Contlnucd.
3
"Ah, yes, Monsieur Askew. But,
you sec, Mr. Morris he pay the men
their wages."
"Call them here," rxild nilary.
Jean-Mario called, nnd tho men came
forward. "Now tell them what I havo
told .you," Hilary continued.
Jean-Marie's translation wns met
with a volley of Interjections. The
little timekeeper began half a dozen
explanations and finally gavo up in
despair.
"They say It's Monsieur Brousscuu's
orders," ho explained. "You see, nion
nleur, wo know now that tho property
Is yours, but Monsieur Broussenu hires
the mill hands."
"Tell them In future I shall hire the
mill hands. Tell them It Is my mill."
This was met with blank Incredulity.
Evidently Brousscau'B lease of mill
rights hud passed for ownership.
"Anyway, say that their Jobs nro
good for tho coming year," announced
Hilary, und wondered whether ho
dared hope to make good on that state
ment. "Where's Lafo Connell?" ho
added.
"Lnfe, ho Is discharged, too," an
swered Jean-Marie. "Uc go right nwny
"What Are You Deserting For?"
io catch tho boat home, carrying his
bag.. See, Monsieur Askew 1"
Hilary looked up. On tho crest of
tho hill behind Rocky river, against
tho skyline, was u solitary figure,
tridlng along with a bag In Its hand.
Tho down boat to Quebec wns al
most duo. Looking seaward, Hilary
aw tho whlto hull rounding the light
houso point, und the black smoko from
her funnels an Inverted cono against
tho heavens. Evidently Lnfo would
bo homeward bound within a half
hour; and no tlmo ws to bo lost if ho
hoped to stop him.
He jumped Into tho buggy nnd urged
tho horso through tho disputing crowd.
Without Lafo Connell ho felt that his
chauco was almost n hopeless one.
Ho drovo madly along the cliff and
down tho Inst descent. As ho reached
tho stablo tho ship was being attached
to tho wharf. Hilary Jumped out and
ran to tut wharf. A few passengers
were gnthered about the Uttlo baggage
ofllco and others were standing before
tho gnngway, waiting to ombnrk
Among them was Lafo, with a carpet-
bug. Hilary Hung himself upon hhn
tst as ho Bet foot upon tho planks.
Lafo spun round und looked sullenly
at him. Hilary held to his arm.
"What tho mutter, Lafo?" ho nsked.
what are you deserting for?"
. "What's that you say?" dotunnded
Safe ferociously. "Desortlng what?
escrtlujr "ho? I guess I don't hnvo
to stuy horo when l'vo boon fired, do I,
vun if my contract Is good till Octo
ber ono? Just let go my urml"
Tho passengers had embarked; the
oUors stood waiting for Lafo before
Broiling back tho gnngway.
"Como back to your senses, Lafe,"
nald Hilary. "I haven't llred you, and
I guess you can't go off that way with
out giving mo notice. It's nil right
taptaln. Ho Isn't coming," ho called
Tho snllors pulled In tho gangway,
Tho ropes wore cast off. Tho paddle
began to churn tho water Into froth
Lafo flung his enrpot-bng to the lloor
pngrlly.
"Now supposo you tell me what the
trouble Is," suggested Hilary.
"What right you got to stop mo?" do
manded Lnfe. "Say, If It wasn't you
I won't unswor for what I wouldn't
have dono to you."
"What's happened, Lafo?"
"WhatV happened? Didn't you tell
tuo you were going to hold fast? I
thought you wns going to fire Morris,
and he comes out and fires me and or
ders mo off the concession. That's n
grand way to start standing by your
word, Mr. Askew."
"I hnvo fired him."
"What?" yelled Lnfe, spinning
round.
"I fired him after we'd hnd n talk,
Lafe. And I guess ho put on a front In
order to get rid of you, because you
know too much, hoping that It would
mean nothing to me. But It docs, Lafe.
Tell mo what made you muko that
crazy dash for tho steamer."
"Because I'm sick to death of this
darned country," answered Lnfe. "Be
causo I can't stand the people, or the
cllmntc, or Father Lucy praying out
fires, or tho verandas. I'm sick of It,
Mr. Askew, nnd Clarice and the kids
Is In Shoeburyport. That's why. I
guess," ho said, raising his head and
looking at Hilnry plaintively. "I guess
my feelings kind of got tho better of
mo."
Illlnry thumped him on the shoulder.
"That's all right. Lafe," ho said, "but
you're going to Blgn on with mo for a
year from October first Just one year
more. And you're going to sign us
manager, at Morris' salary."
Lafo Connell looked nt him ns if it
was all n dream. Lafo had been work
ing nt forty-live dollurs n week since
his arrival.
"Mr. Askew," ho said, when ho could
steady his voice, "I guess l'vo been un
grateful. But when Morris told me I
was discharged I naturally concluded
that he'd bought you out. I'll stay, Mr.
Askew, and I'll do nil I can to help
clenn up this mess nnd put things on a
puylng foundation. I guess everyone's
been cheating your uncle, Mr. Askow,
from Morris and Brousscau and Le-
blanc down to Jenn-Bnptlste tho scaler.
knew they wero swindling you, nnd
Brousscau telephoned mo to keep you
la tho dark, and I tried to do It."
"Never mind, Lnfe. You nnd I will
go over tho books together and clean
up."
"And I tell you this," went on Lafe.
"GIvo fellows like Baptlsto Baptlste
and rat an example of honest work,
and you'll seo they'll follow you nnd
take a pride In tho business. It's the
big fellows wo want to get."
Hilary held out his hand. "We'll
shako on that," ho said. "You accept
tho post, Lafe, and you won't make a
break for homo again?"
"Never again, so long ns wo'ro on
tho Job together," Lafo answered.
Far oft the steamship was pursuing
her wny townrd Quebec. Hilary,
watching her, was conscious of a zest
of living which his conversion of Lafo
did not wholly explain. What, ho won
dered, was tho secret of his Interest
In St. Bonlfuco?
CHAPTER IV.
The First Encounter.
Next morning Hilary drove slowly
through his property. Ho noticed with
approval a splendid growth of white
spruce. It wns n great timber coun
try; Hilary had already come to thnt
conclusion, nnd to this: that, properly
worked and managed, tho St. Bonlfaco
tract had tho possibilities of consider
able profits, perpetual ones, If ho cut
wisely and carefully.
After driving at a slow pace for half
an hour ho emerged into a little
burned-over district, from which lie
could seo for a good distance on every
side of him. Ho stopped tho pony nnd
looked about him, trying to get his
bearings.
Tho road must run down to tho
gorge, where was tho main way be
tween tho mill and the Interior of tho
seigniory, Hilary decided.
He drovo on again. Tho track had
been disused that season nnd was over
grown with creeping raspberry briers,
which mado progress dllllcult. Sud
denly tho undergrowth fell away, and
tho road ran upward again, hard and
linn, toward u bridgo that spanned n
wide creek tributary to Rocky river.
Now Hilary knew where he was. It
was tho crook which ho had passed
that morning when ho drovo out with
Connell to Inspect tho seigniory.
Ho was about to continue his way
along the main road to tho mill, hut an
Impulse urged him to turn tho horso
ubout and seek tho road that led to Le
blanc's old concession. Presently ho
heard tho sound of axes among the
trees. Ho came upon the clearing, to
llnd tho old camp still standing, and n
great pllo of newly hewn timber
stacked tip undor the trees.
At Hilary's uppoarnnco two or three
men looked up from the logs which
they were sawing and whispered. They
seemed to draw together. At thnt mo
Illustrations by
ment Illlnry had n clenrly defined Im
pression of nppronciilng trouble.
Ho got down from the buggy nnd
fastened tho horso to a tree. Ho ap
proached a little group that had form
ed. "Where's Monsieur Leblanc?" he
asked the nearest man.
Tho tnnn scowled and shrugged his
shoulders. He glanced townrd the
camp. Hilary, looking that wny, saw
Black Pierre emerging from ono of
tho huts. Ho went toward him, und the
two men met face to face.
Still without reason lo believe In
Pierre's hostile Intention, Illlnry sud
denly became nwnro thnt they wero
ringed by n circle of men, who gradu
ally drew In toward them.
"Morning," said nilary, nodding.
"Where Is Monsieur Leblanc?"
"I don' know," nnswered Pierre,
scowling. "Look for him If you want
him. He's your man, ain't he?"
"Ho Is, but you are not. What are
you doing on my land? And these men
are they yours?"
"What you mean, your lnnd?" de
manded Pierre. "I work here for Mon
sieur Brousscau, with Monsieur Brous
seau's men."
Hilary saw, out of the corner of his
eye, that tho ring was swiftly con
tracting. It struck him thntPlorre and
ho wero posted face to face, like prlze-
tlghtcrs. He tried to keep his temper
nnd to remember Connell's counsel.
Pierre thought ho was afrnld. He
sneered openly.
"Last tlmo I camo here," said nilary
calmly, disregarding tho other's trucu-
lonce, "Monsieur Leblnnc wns in
charge of this territory. Now I find
you hero In Leblanc's place. I have
not hlred'you. Again I ask what you
are doing here."
"I don know whnt you mean," snort
ed Pierre, "an' I got no tlmo to waste
In damn foolishness. This here Is tho
Ste. Marie limits. Monsieur Broussenu
an' Monsieur Morris run tho Sto. Marie
limits. Leblanc he work for them Ins'
year. Now 1 got Leblanc s place. '
"Tho Ste. Mario limits lire on the
other side of tho Itlvlero Rocheuse,"
said Hilary.
"Holy Name, nln't I this side of Ri
viere Rocheuse? Dldn' you cross him
coming hero?"
"That creek Is not tho Rlvlero Ro
cheuse, ns you know very well, Pierre.";
Blnck Pierre thrust his face forward'
Into Hilary's. "Say, I got no tlmo to
waste wit' you," ho snarled. "If you
come to light, sny so."
"I'll glvo you flvo minutes to get off
my land."
"You wan' to fight, eh? All right."
growled tho other, suddenly stripping
off his short, open Jacket.
Hilary had just time to fasten tho
top button of his coat before Pierre,
with a bellow, chnrged him, his head,
down, his nrms working like flails.
Pierre mado short, vicious stabs at
him; ho was musclo-bound and could
not extend the elbow-joint with any
force, but any of his short blows, deliv
ered from u shoulder like n mutton
Joint, would havo knocked n man sense
less.
Illlnry stepped nsldo as Pierre pre
cipitated himself upon him, and gavo
him n short uppercut with tho left
Pierre went reeling past him, tripped
over n projecting trunk of a tree, and
fell sprawling to tho ground.
A second later he was up again, rush
ing nt nilary. Despite Hilary's blows,
which nenrly blinded him, nnd covered
his faco with blood, ho mannged to get
He Rose, Spitting the Dlood Out of
His Mouth, and Rushed at Hilary
Again.
homo two body deliveries which knock
ed tho wind out of the American. Hil
ary was forced to give ground. Ho
had boxed at college a good deal ; that
was several years before, but tho mem
ory Instinctively came back to him. "It's
foot-work wins," his teacher had told
him. He stepped from side to side,
guarding himself against Pierre's furi
ous lungoti duxtorously, until the op
portunity for u telling cross-counter
with the riht scut Pieno crushing
backward.
Irwin Myers
Ho rose, spitting tho blood out of
his mouth, nnd rushed nt Hilary again.
This time ho mnnaged to lock his arms
about him and, holding him securely
with the left, pummcled him. Hilary
forgot his science and shot Ills right
upward between tho arm n.nd the body,
landing on Pierre's chin. Picrro reeled,
but he did not let go his hold, lie
grasped Hilary like n bear, hugging
him till tho brenth was nearly out of
his body, and forcing the point of his
chin In under1 nilnry's collar-bone.
Pierre was. several years tho older,
nnd winded by fast living, but his mus
cles wero ns firm ns a young man's.
Knowing that his enemy's science was
more than n match for his superior
strength, he maintained tho clinch, but
gradually shifted his grasp upward,
first pinioning Hilary's arm, then grip
ping his shoulder, until ho had him by
the throat.
Hilary, gasping under tho relentless
pressure, saw tho faces of tho lumber
men swim round him. He saw tho tri
umph nnd the joy, tho mockery and
tho hatred on each; there was no.plty
for tho American; mnny an old land
question, ninny n racial conflict had be
come Incnrnnle In that fight under tho
pines. Illlnry realized that It was a
battle, not for the timber tract, but for
his own life.
Pierre's face grinned Into his own
mnlignnntly, plastered with dust und
smenred with the sweat that drove
whlto furrows across it. Hilary let his
hands fall limply. For just n second
Pierre relaxed his grasp, to shift It so
the thumb-knuckles should close on tho
carotids. Then Hilary put all his
strength Into a terrific drive with tho
left. Tho blow caught Pierre between
the eyes, his arms went up, releasing
Hilary, and ho tottered bnckward. The
yells of tho lumbermen, which had
been continuous, suddenly censed.
Before Pierre could recover himself
Illlnry let him have It with tho right.
Pierre went to the ground. Hilary
still only hnlf conscious, und hardly
seeing the prostrate body, drew In a
deep chestful of air. A black cloud
filled with dancing specks swam be
fore his vision. Out of it he snw tho
face of one of tho nearest spectators.
It was filled with an anticipation so
pungent that Instinctively Hilary leap-
led aside. Out of tho cloud he saw
,Black Pierre plunge forward, knife In
his hnnd. The spent blow cut Hilary's
sleeve. Pierre recovered himself and
rushed at the Amorlcnn, a fearful spec
tacle, dripping sweat and blood. Illl
nry caught him with tho right under
the Jaw, sending him flat. The knife
went whirling away Into the under
brush. Black Pierre lay still.
Hilary turned to the nearest of the
awed lumbermen. "Bring him n cup
of water," ho ordered.
Tho man understood and ran Into
Pierre's hut. But Pierre was sham
ming; ho opened his eyes, fixed them
with burning hnto on Hilary, and mum
bled. "Get up!" snld Illlnry.
Pierre rose sullenly, edging out of
tho rench of tho expected blow. He
was cowed, the fighting spirit was out
of him, ns It was out of his compan
ions. As civilized men fenr the law,
tho lumbermen feared the unknown
forces thnt lay behind Illlnry and
manifested themselves through the
strength of his nrm.
"I'll give you five minutes to get off
tho St. Boniface territory Into tho Ste.
Marie limits, the other side of Rocky
river," Hilary snld. He turned to tho
spectators. "I'll thrash every man not
employed by me who comes upon my
lnnd," ho nnnounccd.
Whether they understood the mean
ing of tho words or not, they realized
tho significance of tho gesture. Blnck
Pierre, among his companions nt the
edgo of tho clearing, stopped his re
treat. He meant nt least to save his
faco by threats. But Hilary had de
liberately turned his back on him nnd,
without npparent fear of danger, was
examining the shncks, and poking tho
moss out of the Interstices between the
logs with n forked stick. When he
turned the last of the Ste. Mario men
was disappearing out of the clearing
down the road. Ho waited long enough
for them to rench the fork, before re
entering the buggy.
He was thoughtful on tho drive
homeward. lie knew that It was only
the unexpected nature of his action
which had cleared the concession. That
had been a paramount duty; at any
cost he must preserve tho Integrity of
ids land. But, given Broussenu's lead
ership and active hostility, they could
put up a fight which would render him
Impotent. Physical forco could bring
him nowhere In the end.
It took about an hour for the embel
lished story to filter through to tho
mill. Before work was knocked off that
afternoon Hilary became conscious of
a now deference In his hands' manner,
of gnplngjooks that followed him when
ho went from olllce to mill, or back.
For the first tlmo St. Bonlfaco began
to bellevo that tho Morris regime had
really passed.
"Wv''ve still got Brousscau, though,"
said Hilary to Lafe. "When do you
supposo he's going to declare himself?"
"Spon." said Lafo, "You've seen to
that, Mr. Askow."
"Well," nnswered Hilary cheerfully,
"we'll meet that troublo when It comes.
Meanwhile, don't spare the teams In
brenklng up those piles nnd sending
them through the mill. I've got to get
out n record load next month, and I'm
going to credit nil the wood that goes
through the mill to the St. Boniface
tract and let Broussenu take any ac
tion he likes ubout It."
Broussenu was not long In declnrlng
wnr. On the following afternoon, as he
sat In his olllce, Hilary, looking through
the window, saw Madeleine Rosny
driving a rig along tho road toward the
mill. Beside her sat a man whom ho
had never seen before. IIo surmised
nt once that It was Brousscau, hut ho
hardly expected that tho girl was
bringing him to tho office.
Such proved to be the case. Tho rig
Stopped at the door and Hilary had n
glimpse of Madeleine's averted, scorn
ful fnco as she sat waiting, as If Hilary
was bencuth her pride, as If to stop
there was no more thnn to stop at any
laborer's shack. Her companion leuped
out nnd enme briskly to tho door.
no wns a man of something more
thnn forty, but nctlvo and young-looking.
He came into tho office nnd glared
down at Hilary, who at onco rose nnd
faced him.
"I'm Mr. Brousscau," said tho visitor.
"I've heard of you," said Hilary.
"You'll hear more of me. You as
saulted one of my men yesterday. Do
you think you can como Into this coun
try and knock my men about like that
for doing their duty?"
"He wns on the Rosny seigniory, and
cutting my timber."
"IIo wns on the west side of Riviere
Rocheuse," snnried Brousscau. "Tho
Riviere Rocheuse has never been sur
veyed. What you call the creek Is the
upper part of Riviere Rocheuse. Le
blanc had permission to cut that tract
for Mr. Morris because our two com
panies worked hnnd In hnnd. It Is not
my wny to make explanations, Mons
ieur Askew, but take that for whnt It
Is worth."
"I do so, and It is worth nothing,"
nilnry answered. "Whnt is your prop
osition?" "You assaulted my man."
"Never mind your man. He started
it, and he needed It. If I find him on
my limits I'll assault him again.- You
haven't come here to complnln nbout
that, Monsieur Broussenu. What have
you come for?"
Brousscau advanced nnd banged his
fist on the desk. "I've come here to
tell you that you're a fool, young man,"
lie answered. "My word goes In this
pnrt of the country, nnd you can't come
In hero nnd light me."
"Your proposal, please," said Hilary
quietly.
"Now you're talking sense. This
ain't the United States, whore you rich
men can como into a territory and grab
It away from tho people under their
noses. You'll put Mr. Morris back as
manager nnd go homo, or" else you'll
sell .out to mo."
"Yes, It does come to nbout the same
thing," said Hilary. "Why don't you
ask me to make you a free gift of the
concession?"
Broussenu scowled savagely at the
sarcasm. He was educated enough to
be stung by banter, but not quick
enough to retaliate In kind.
"Now I'll mnkc yon my own proposi
tion," said nilary. "It's this. You can
either submit your books to my Inspec
tion and make good on that lumber
that Morris stole from me last year,
and keep your men on your own limits,
or you can give up tho mill rights after
October first and build your own mill."
Brousscau turned white with rage.
"I'll run you out of this country," he
raved. "I'll freeze you out before the
winter's over, Monsieur Askew. You
watch mo I"
"Maybe," snld nilary. "Meanwhile,
I think you're keeping the buggy wait
ing, and there Is no use In prolonging
this conversation unless you want to
accept my terms."
Broussenu shook - with wrath; ho
opened his mouth to speak, but snorted
Instead; ho shook his fist furiously
nnd, turning upon his heel, stamped
out of the olllce. From his desk Hilary
watched him climb Into the buggy and
drive nwny. His head was bent to
ward Madeleine Rosny's, nnd ho was
talking emphatically and gesticulating
freely.
"War's declared," said nilary to him
self, with relief, as he settled himself
in his chair.
Illlnry talked the matter over with
Lafe later In the day. "If wo can get
a good shipment out before tho Gulf
closes," he said, "we can carry on till
spring. But of course wo can't haul
lumber out of the woods until there's
several feet of snow on the ground."
"And that won't bo till navigation's
ended for tho year," said Lafe.
"So I'm going to put through tho mill
every cord of lumber In the river." con
tinued Hilnry. "We'll keep Dupont
busy. And we'll wind up tho yenr with
a substantlnl'bnlanco to our credit."
"The Ste. Marie lumber," mused
Lnfe.
"I guess they call It so. But I be
llevo It's all ours. Wo've got the whip
hand of Brousscau there, because it's
our mill, and Dupont's Independent of
Hrousseau. Brousscau can't stop me
using that lumber, and ho daren't go
to law about It."
Lafe approved tho scheme, with
warnings to Hilary about going slow.
They went up to tho dam and looked
over the logs In tho river. Rlvlero Ro
cheuso wns packed ns fnr as the eye
could reach. The sight raised Hilary's
spirits. There must bo thousands of
dollnrs' worth of lumber in between
the high banks, ready to be passed
through tho rossing mill for Dupont's
schooner.
Lnfo camo to him next day.
"Tho logs in the dam nro going Into
tho mill .all right," ho said, "but they
ain't coming dnwu-stream above lty
Baptlsto says there's jam In tho
gorge."
They got tho rig nnd drovo to the
spot. At the gorge was u solid wall of
logs, packed like the etrnw coverings
of wine-bottles. Tho starting of tho
logs had wedged them together here.
It wns clear that It would bo necessary
to start tho mnss with dynamite.
"I guess that's the trick," said Lafe.
"Baptlsto here Is an expert dynamiter."
"Yes, that shift him quick," snld
Jenn-Mnrlo. "Mighty quick, muybo. I
think, Mr. Askew, It is bettor first to
mnke stronger your boom, or else your
lumber go over the rnplds Into tho
Gulf."
"How long will It take?" asked Hil
ary. "A week, maybe, for good work.
That boom, he will never stand go
mnny logs ns thnt, Mr. Askow."
"Get n gnng to work nt daybreak to
morrow," Hilary Instructed him.
That night Hilary congratulated him
self on hnvlng started his counter-of-fenslvo
ugalnst Brousscuu. In spite of
Brousscau Scowled Savagely at the
Sarcasm.
the man's Influence In tho district, ho
felt assured of the loyalty of the bulk
of his men. Lnfe was worth n hundred
and little Baptlste knew his job per
fectly. He went to bed In high spirits.
The next morning Broussenu struck
his first blow. Hilnry hud just or
dered the rig In order to drive ovei to
Leblanc's lease and try to stop tho
operations about the Chateau when
Leblanc appeared In the office, accom
panied by four rufilnns whom Hilary
recognized ns tho subjobbers.
"Well, Leblanc?" asked Hilary.
"What's this I hear you make com
plaint about my work?" Leblanc de
manded. "You've been cutting round tho
Chateau, Leblanc, nnd you'll have to
stop It," snld Hilary. "You knew you
wero not supposed to cut there."
"Ain't I got right to cut on my own
lenso?" demanded tho jobber trucu
lently. "Maybe you have, but anyway you
aren't going to cut round the Chateau."
"You think so?" nsked Leblanc In
solently. "All right. You find another
boss jobber. Maybe you llnd one in
September whnt couldn't get a Job
for next winter, you nre so clever. I
don't know. For me, I go to work for
Monsieur Morris at Ste. Marie."
"So that's your game, Leblanc!
How nbout thnt contract?"
"That's all right. But If I don't pay
on January first, tho contract Is no
good. That was your words, which
you wrote down. Well, I keep tho
lease If you like, Monsieur Askew, an'
I cut where I like, or I don't pay ono
cent. An' these men say they go wher
ever I go. They won't work for you
If I go, because you thrash Black
Pierre. They ain't dogs, they're men,
an' they got families. They don't
stand for no beating with fists. May
be you change your mind ubout tho
cutting?"
"Go to the devil I" shouted Hilnry.
"Maybe you like to beat these men
now, eh?" sneered Leblanc. "No?
All right. You find other boss jobber
Monsieur Askow."
IIo clnpped on his hat, and, as If
they had rehearsed the scene, the four
rulllans followed Leblanc In solemn
and triumphant parade across tho
floor and out of the office.
This was first blood with a ven
geance. Loblnnc's lease was a neces
sity; it meant money, and money Just
when his cnpltal would be exhausted.
It was essential to sub-lease the tract
to some one else. But there was no
one In St. Bonlfaco capable of assum
ing cbnrgo of such a contract. The
hnbltants hnd no heads for business
and no money to Invest. All thnt was
paid out In wages flowed back to
the store, owned by the Ste. Marie
coinpnny. and to tho Ste. Mario sa
loons. Sto. Mnrle was bleeding St.
Bonlfaco white In every way.
Filled with resentment, nilary coun
termanded tho order for tho rig nnd
walked up by the mill, nis nerves
wero raw and quivering ns ho reached
the end of tho strip of lnnd whoro
Rocky river pours Into tho gulf bo
low. The whistle blow, nnd ho turned
townrd St. Bonlfaco and stopped,
watching tho mob of men emerging
from the mill.
"Why do you come
here?" she cried.
(TO UK CONTINUED.)
Ono strong point of many a woman,
Is at tho end of a hat pin.
