The Dolores star., 1920-04-30
By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
illustrations by Irwin Myers

Lafe. "MOst of our hands come from
there. It's tough place, Mr.. Askew.
l seen some tough towns in the West.
but this has got 'em all beat, with the
smuggling of brandy. and the drinking.
and the fights every Saturday night
there was a man knitted there last
week; and not a policeman within fir-
ty miles. and nobody except Father
Lucy, and he can't hold EN-"
"What / want to know" said Hilary,
SIS. what this company is that you
speak about and how they come to use
the Rocky river for their logs"
Lafe hesitated. but only for mo-
ment. Then he mentally cast Brous-
seau to the winds: for. after all. If
Hilary meant to know. nobody could
prevent 1t, BrOusseau's Instructions
notwithstanding.
'It's this way. Mr.. Askew." he said.
"Mr. Morris and Mr.. Brousseau have q
company of their own. Their limits
touch ours on the west, across the
river, and run ten miles or SO back
into the bush. right alongside ours.
They got the right to float their logs
down the river"
And use the mill?"
Mr.. Morris leases the use of our
mill by the year to the company
Hilary was staggered for the mo-
ment. Morris. as his uncle's manager,
leasing the mill to Morris. partner in
Brousseau's company, seemed queer
role
How do they tell our lumber from
theirs?" asked Hilary presently.
"Oh, that amt hard" said Lafe.
you see, the jobbers, who suitcase
the tracts, know how much their men
have cut. And it's scaled in the
woods before they shoot 1t down
stream. I guess there amt no diff
Guilty there, Mr.. Askew. And you see,
Mr.. Morris representing both concerns.
he naturally does his best by both of
EN-"
Hilary's suspicious, dormant even
after the interview with Lamartine,
were now thoroughly aroused.
"And Mr. Brousseau has no concern
with us. except for the lease of the
mill and the right-of-way down the
river" mused Hilary. "Who is this
Mr.. BrousseauT'
"Why, l guess he's the big man of
the district" said Lafe. Hes the
nearest thing to boss they've got up
here; tells 'em how to vote and gets
em out of trouble. He amt good to
his father. though. That was old
Jacques Brousseau in the store, the
trapper."
81 didn't see him.
"He was Mr.. Rosny's slave or what
ever they called them, in the old
times, before these people became
free"
He tapped the ashes out of his pipe
and pocketed it.
Hes got old Rosny in his pocket"
he said. leaning toward Hilary. "He's
got him bound and mortgaged after
leading him to throw your uncle's
money away in crazy investments. He
did it deliberately, Mr.. Askew When
he was kid, growing up among the
house servants up at the Chateau,
he wanted to be a big man. for which
I don't blame him. He got his way.
but that wasn't enough. He wanted
the Seigneur's place, because he found
of old Mr.. Rosny. with his broken
down house and debts, than they did
| of him with all his money. So he set
| to work and got him cinched.
"The old man hates and despises
him, and he's been fighting against 1t
| for long time, but he seen what's
| coming to him and l guess he's made
up his mind he'll have to stomach it.
Brousseau's staked old Mr. Rosny's
pride against his love, and guess he's
| won his stake and won Mamzelle
| Madeleine into the bargain"
He rose. "That'll be all for tonight,
Mr.. Askew?" he asked.
Hilary rose too. Thanks, Mr.. Con-
nell,' he said. SIN the morning l shall
ask you to show me around the place"
He didn't follow Lafe Connell in
side the hotel, but sat upon the porch,
musing. Lafe had enlightened him on
several points. He doubted whether
Lamartine had spoken anything ap-
preaching truth concerning the prop
erty, and he was sure that Morris and
Brousseau We're the company in whose
behalf he had offered forty-five thou.
sand dollars. There would be need of
good many explanations from Nor
ris. Yet Hilary felt instinctively that
it was Brousseau, not Morris, with
| whom he would have to contend.
On the face of the soft night rose
the face of Madeleine Rosny painted
with surprising clearness. He saw the
blue Of her eyes. the curve of her
flushed cheek, the dignity and gentle
ness and pride that blended in her
looks. If ever he had any quarrel with
Brousseau, he would show him
Then he cursed himself for a fool.
and. entering the hotel. took his lamp
and went up to his room.