Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-20
CHAPTER XII.
Marie Awakes.

daily, bat they seldom met. once OF
twice they made an appointment, but
both hatbd the thought of clandestin-
ity, and hillary realized the need of
concentrating all his thoughts upon his
work. Dupont had made three more
voyages, and Baptiste, who kept cut
of sight. had given complete satisfnc-
tion. Tie humber had brought unex-
pectedly goo1 prices, and there was
now a probability that before naviga-
tion closed Hilary would be in posi-
tion to carry on TIL spring. When the
winter cutting began, and there was
more leisure, Hilary meant to fight out
the issue with R5sny. The old man
was still partly paralyzed, and he had
made no reference Of any kind 20 What
had occurred, but his mind was quite
clear. and, Madeleine thought. his
memory.
Toward the middle of the month the
newly discovered spruce supply had
all been numbered. Success seemed
DOW almost assured. Dupont was get
ting ready to make his last voyage.
The snow was not yet deep enough
for the teams to be sent into the
woods, and Hilary turned his thoughts
once more to the island, more from
eagerness to explore that part OF his
domain than from any thought of cFt-
tirz there that winter.
Hilary was In his office one day
when there came a tap at the door,
ard, TO his establishment, In walked
Louis Duvnl.
The little liquor-seller approached
him In an ingratiating manner. "MOa-
sieur Askew," he said, 81 am very
sorry fs- tkat night. have been
away. Now / come back, and Men
sieur Tessier tells me that you for
give. Now come to thank you"
That's all right, Louis said
Hilary. "You are forgiven, as long as
you keep out of that trade of yours.
It's n bad business when it's run In
the ste. Marie way"
Louis Duvnl shifted contemptuous-
ly. I'm out" he announced. "Aad
Simeon's out. And he say he hope
you don't bear ill-feellng. Them fel-
lows never pay US a cent. An I got
my head busted open too." he added
refectiyely.
Hilary sprang to his feet and took
the little man by the arms. do you
mean to tell me Brousseau offered
you money to open a saloon in st. Boni-
faceT' he asked.
"Sure he did. He said If I open he
set me up. an he pay me two hundred
dollars more If those fellows kill you"
Good Lord Is that all I'm worth?"
asked Hilary.
"Oh it amt that" answered Louis.
'I guess you're worth more than that
much. But Pierre an Leblanc, they
crazy to kill you. because you thrash
Pierre an you take away Leblancs
business an his family starve. May.
be he pay them too; maybe they pay
him to let them. l dom know. But
Pierre an Leblanc swear they get you
yet An Simeon's out of the game
An want to tell you something. Mon.
sieur Aslkew, If you won bust my head
open again."
'Your heads quite safe. Louis
What Is itf"
'That damn Brousseau promise me
two hundred for the other job an only
pay me- 3sty."
"what other job9"
For to get them fellows to saw
your boom, monsieur"
$50 1t was sawed, was it?" demand
ed Hilary furiously.
"Yes, monsieur. I get three fellows
from the south shore, an fell int,
the water an got rheumatic, an pa,
ten dollars for medicines, an tta
damn Brousseau-"
Louis, will you sign your name Il
thatT
20 sure. II you get them fellow
an Brousseau FIRST" replied the litsl
man. edging toward the door. FindlnI
that he was not pursued, he halted
Monsieur Askew. gone back to N
fishing job" he said.
Hilary thought this was character
istic occupation for Louis to take uT
since II afforded him several month
of idleness before the fishing seasoi
opened.
"You have a boat7" he asked, re
membering his plan to revisit the Is
land.
20 sure" said Louis. "New sail
an rudder-all new except the boa
A YER fine boat, monsieur"
"Could you take Mr.. Connell an
myself over to the island and bac
tomorrow"
IT think so, monsieur. If the So
amt running too high"
'Be ready with your boat at one,
said Hilary.
II was practically his last chanc
for six months of visiting the islap,
He sent messenger with note
Lafe at the camp. asking him to b
In st. Boniface at noon. Then h
wrote his daily letter to Madelein
He mentioned his projected journe
but nothing else. except his love ar
his hopes, which were weighty enouC
AS he entered the store to mail
In the letter-box there he thought Il
loafers seated about the place look,
at him curiously. He had several tim
noticed a certain furtiveness in the
regard, but had each time ascribed
TO imagination and dismissed the ms
ter. He did so again. He was wa;
ing back when he saw a boy outsi,
the office.
Captain Dupont says he is ready
sail, monsieur" he said.
"Tell him I'm coming down to spei
TO hira," said Hilary.
He went toward the wharf. Dupc
was talking 10 Bnytiste. AS he q
preached, Hilary saw the two cen
their conversation and look at u
Then Baptiste walked slowly away
ward his vessel. Dupont, who h
just received the message from {
boy, stood motionless where he b
been, waiting.
Hillary became suddenly conscious
an atmosphere Of hatred. When
reached Dupont the old man eyed h
with the same searching and malignf