The Raymer enterprise., 1920-07-08
CHAPTER XIII.
The Island.

wv s0s8ss0s
Lafe and Hilary started for the Is.
land at one o'clock. They planned to
spend three hours there and return on
the evening tide.
Hilary. seated opposite his friend,
told him Of the conversation with
Louis. who. manipulating the tiller.
heard nothing.
IF Louis Will swear to what be In.
Ipsmed me-" he said, ut means that
- can clap Brousseau into jail. 9th
srwise he'll never give up his schemes
against me. because he has personal
grievance"
sMr. Askew." said Lafe. might
pat question to you without giving
o6ensef~
"You may. Connell."
"rm only saying what everybody's
saying in St. Boniface. and that IL
about your cutting Brousseau out with
Nademeisslle Rosny."
Il guess ice true. Lafe." said Hilary.
~LAfe. shss-well, you understand"
81 guess I do" said Lafe. He
stretched out a sinewy hand and
gripped HIlary's warmly. II wish
Clsrice-my wife-could meet you." he
said.
Il hope she will. Lafe. some day.
But now about Brousseau."
II asked You that" said Lafe. be
cause there's lot hangs on 1t. Now
as to Louis-he wouldn't swear. II
he did swear. he'd swear that he'd
been lying as soon as Brousseau
dipped him ten-dollar bill. No. sir.
It won't do. We've got to get the fox
right into the trap before we spring
H."
"I'm afraid I am no hand at spring
Ing traps. Lafe."
No. But we've got to give him rope
enough TO hang himself. We don't
want TO go off at half-cock. That's
palmer. amt III My advice is as be-
fore. lie low. You see. sir. When
man schemes and schemes and plans
bis crooked work. all that he's doing
IA to twist the rope tighter round his
own neck. We've got him now. but
We must get the moose tight so that
he won't wrlggle out OF II. And he'll
twist II tight next time he wrigglas.
That's my Idea. Mr.. Askew."
Il guess you're right as usual Lafe." |"
answered Hilary. "Blt I've been ly-
ing low a laundering long time"
No more was said upon the subject.
Out In tho Gulf the chopplness Of the
waves Lad changed to steady sweep
tows'd the island, which. lying In mid
r1eam. received and broke the full
forre Of the daily tides. The wind
aided them, and they swept through
the water. Hilary watched the near
ting land with interest that deepened
as he began to make out the luxurious
growth Of conifers that covered II al
most to the seas verge.
In the center he could now make
out q ridge Of low hills. which seemed
to ascend to terminal cliff. having
on one side gentle slope and, on the
other. a precipitous descent toward
the water.
There ought to be some fine cut.
ting there for Us some day." said
Hilary. "Helloi What's thatf"
Somebody has got there before u.s."
said Connell.
A boat came into view. a little fish,
ng sloop, much like Duval's, beached
on tho shore, the sails down. the bow
hleh above high water.
THAT boat belongs to jacques
Brousseau," said Louis. pointing to-
ward II.
whats he doing on my limits. I
wonder" mused Hilary.
II guess he's making this his winter
quarters. He's trapped the seigniory
50 long that he thinks it's bis terri.
tory"
They grounded. Duval, leaplng
Aeiore, brought the bow round above
the water level. Lafe and Hilary
stepped out and stretched their cramp.
cd limbs.
The wind blew keenly. but. once un-
Ter the shelter of the island. they
found IL warm autumn weather.
Leaving Louis stretched out in the
boat. under a tarpaulin. Lafe and Hill.
ary started up the sloping beach toward
the Interior. The FIRST thing that they
noticed a. peculiar. when they had
passed the outer fringe OF trees, was
the existence Of q well-defined trail.
They stopped and looked at 1t.
DO you suppose old Jacques made
ell thati" asked Lafe.
Too wide."
"And too hard. Mr.. Askew. This
has been stamped out this summer.
And Jacques has only been here q
week. at most"
Men-Y asked Hilary.
Somebody else has been on the
seand all summer. or at least most of
~ summer. Maybe two or three Of
Ten. II looks like It."
1hs trail had disappeared. They
ssrs row scrambling up = gulley be.
tween great rocks that lowered on
eifher side Of them. At the top Of
~ ELEVATION appeared the point Of