The spectator., 1919-12-09

and get the property for song | That's how it stands. Here we turn off into Mir Leblanc's lease"
 "Who's he"
 | "Your chief jobber," said Lafe.
 The buggy turned off through the forest along new road. Here was some splendid timber, black and white spruce and tall white pine The sound of axes began to be audible, and pres ently they reached clearing, in which a number of frame shacks were under construction. Experimenting the work was tall, rather fair man of about | forty years, with cast in one eye; and with him was a short, thickset man of great muscular power. The | two looked up as the buggy ap- preached, and the short man scowled.
 This is Mir. Leblanc" said Lafe. 'Mr Leblanc, this is Mir. Askew, the owner"
 Leblanc put out his hand Imply. but Hilary, nettled by his manner, did not | take it.
 MT Leblanc is clearing camp for his next years lease" continued Lafe. | But the lease is not signed?' asked Hilary.
 Tt will be signed in October" an swered Leblanc. 'I have arrange with Monsieur Morris"
 You'll make your arrangements with me in future" said Hilary. If the price is satisfactory, you can have this tract"
 Leblanc stared at him insolently with his good eye, the other fixing a tree on Hilary's right "I work for Mir. Morris. I make arrange with him." he answered.
 | See here, Leblanc, you didn't catch who this gentleman is," said Lafe. This is Mir. Askew, the nephew of the late Mir. Askew. He has come into the property. He's boss. You get me, don't you, Leblanc?
 Leblanc shrugged his shoulders. "Oh. yes, I understand" he answered, and, turning without another word, walked back toward the lumbermen, accompanied by the short man, who was chuckling maliciously at Hilary's discontinue.
 Hilary flushed, but Lafe laid his hand on his wrist, closing the fingers about 1t with n viselike grip.
 "Steady. Mir Askew. Don't let those | fellows get you riled," he said. If you're coming into this game it means | steady work You've got to hold back and hold back, until you've got things | ready"
 They re-entered the buggy and, turn | ing the horse, drove back. Presently Hilary cooled down. "Who was the little man?" he asked.
 "That's Pierre something Black Pierre, he's called. He's Brous- seau's chief crook. He's a trouble some man, Mir. Hilary. He'll bear watching"
 wen fire him first thing," said Hill ary.
 ''Why, he ain't hired by us," an- | swered Lafe.
 "Then what in thunder is he doing on my concession, talking to my chief jobber?
 "Well, there ain't no law against it." said Lafe, with humorous look on his face. "I guess them two are pretty thick together.
 You see, Mir. Askew. it's this way" he went on. 'If you're going to clear up this mess, it ain't bit of good going for the little fellows. They're the tail that Brousseau wags. Once you get Brousseau's hand out of your pie, the others follow him. When Pierre sees there ain't no more TAck- ings out of the St. Boniface land he'll go back to the smuggling business"
 Brandy -smuggling?"
 "Why, he's the bad man of Ste. Ma rie. He runs cargoes of gin and brandy ashore from rhe south coast, and there's never been a revenue officer in this district within human memory, nor would one dare to show his face here. Say, I'll take you through Ste. Marie on the way back to the mill !"
 They had reached the main road again; they went on a little way and then turned westward over rough track through a burned-over district densely covered with fireweed and white starved asters. Soon another rig appeared before them, topping the hill. Lafe pulled in as it approached.
 "Bonjour, Father Lucy" he called to the elderly priest who sat inside. "This gentleman is Mir. Askew, the new owner of the Rosny concession. He's old MT. Askew's nephew" The cure looked Hilary over, then l he leaned forward and extended his hand, which Hilary grasped. "I am please to meet you, Mir. As. . kew" he said. "I 'ope we shall be- come friens, like Mir. Lafe here, an not : quarrel so much" "Ah, Father Lucy, you make me tired sometimes" said Lafe. "What in thun. :, der's the use of praying for rain when