Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-27

2feSfe236226S2tSf622 f622eXfSxEdxEoxkeALeAL "a
der roughly constructed roof, was
small hand machine. consisting In the
main of two steel rollers. white with
crushed rock.
Looks like hand flour-mill." said
Lafe. Il thought maybe 1t might be
gold. But it amt gold. AlluviaPs
washed in stream. and quartz gold
has to be got with cyanide"
A pick next caught their eyes. Some
body, or party, rather, had been work
ing at the rocks. apparently to take
samples of some ore; but there was
certainly no gold in the Laurentian
granite.
Suddenly Lafe uttered an exclama-
tion and, STOPPING down, picked up a
matted handful of some fbrous, wool
like material that had been stuffed
into cleft. He pulled out yet anoth-
er handful, and more and more-stif
wool, vet of a stony consistency-spun,
stone. If such a thing were possible.
"Rock flaxl" he exclaimed. 81 seen
1t down Thetford way years ago, Mr..
Askew. Look therel The cliffs alive
with it'll"
''Asbestosp cried Hilary.
"a regular asbestos quarry" said
Lafe. there's thousands of dollars
worth here. Look at it !"
Hilary could see now that the coarse
fibers ran through the side of the cliff
In every direction. They were so
blended with the mottled stone that
he had not even noticed them.
THAT accounts for everything" he
said.
Yes, Mr.. Askew. / guess Brous-
seau wasn't paying all those hands at
Ste. Marie and pretending to work his
limits just to jump your timber rights.
/ knew he had something up his sleeve,
but didn't know what. knew there
wasn't no gold round here"
$50 that's why he wants to get me
out Of the way"
THAT'S the whole game, sir. He
knew you'd hit upon this mine sooner
or later. though he'd left the island
off the map of the seigniory. Lord,
what fool was not to have known p'
There's more to it than that, Lafe.
That's why he tried to draw us off the
scent on the subject of the river boun-
dary. He thought that if he could get
into a fight with US over that we
wouldn't be thinking of the island
And this mine belongs to Rosny. Nc
wonder Brousseau wants the seign.
| iory -
cts as good as play" said Lafe.
SIT gives us the trump card" said
Hilary. "It means that he'll lose his
hold over him, and-well, Lafe, fee
too happy to say any more about it."
Lafe grabbed him by the hand.
We've won," he said ecstatically
Sand now 1 guess we'd best be start
ing for the boat"
They retraced their steps along tn,
trail. 1t was a nervous experience
with the thought that old Jacque.
might be lurking in the bushes nearby
However, by the time they reached tn,
little open space they satisfied them
selves that he was not following them
"We've passed our landing place,
said Hilary.
Looking out across the gray water
he perceived, close at hand, and ap
| parently beached on the shore, tn
white sail of sloop. 1t seemed to b.
the vessel which they had seen earlie
that afternoon, tacking toward tn
south shore.
The men looked at each other, an
the same unspoken question was Il
the eyes of each. Then Lafe grabbe
Hilary by the shoulders.
"See here!" he said. 1--WE amt &c
ing to stay and fight Brousseau's gan
just for the fun of it. / guess it
Pierre and Leblanc in that boat a
right, and that they're on their wa
home. We beat it for ours as hard a
we can go-see? You amt fit to d
no more fighting anyway" he pleaded
"And l won't, no matter what happen
that's straight to you. I'll fight an
man with fists If got to, but II
darned if I'll stand up against tha
scum with camp knives"
you're quite right, Lafe," answere
Hilary. "Come, let's get to the boat q
quick as we can"
But as they started there rang out
woman's cry. Again came the scream
and in an instant, forgetful of the
resolution, they had turned and race
back along the trail.
Not many steps, and, breakin
through the trees, they saw Marie D.
pont strugglingin Pierre's arms, viii
Leblanc and Nanette stood near ther
laughing.
Lafe leaped at Pierre, and his bor
: fist caught the outlaw beneath II
chin. Pierre went down in a hea