The spectator., 1920-02-10
CHAPTER XIII.
The Island.

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 he in- formed me-" he said, 'it means that we can clap Brousseau into jail. 9th erwise he'll never give up his schemes against me, because he has a personal grievance"
 "Mr. Askew," said Lafe, might put a question to you without giving offense?"
 You may, Connell."
 'Im only saying what everybody's saying in St. Boniface, and that is about your cutting Brousseau out with Mademoiselle Rosny."
 'I guess it's true. Lafe." said Hilary. ''Lafe, she's-well, you understand
 'T guess I do," said Lafe. He stretched out a sinewy hand and gripped Hilary's warmly. "I wish Clarice-my wife-could meet you," he said.
 q hope she will, Lafe. some day. But now about Brousseau."
 .I asked you that" said Lafe, "be- cause there's lot hangs on it. Now as to Louis-he wouldn't swear. If he did swear, he'd swear that he'd been lying as soon as BrouSseau slipped him ten-dollar bill. No, sir, it won't do. We've got to get the fox right into the trap before we spring it.''
 '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 plainer ain't it? My advice is as be- fore; lie low. You see. sir, when a man schemes and schemes and plans his crooked work, all that he's doing is 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 wriggle out of it. And he'll twist it tight next time he wriggles. That's my idea. Mir. Askew."
 "I guess you're right as usual Lafe," answered Hilary But I've been ly- ing low laundering long time."
 No more was said upon the subject. Out in the Gulf the choppiness of the waves had changed to steady sweep toward the island, which, lying in mid stream, received and broke the full force of the daily tides. The wind aided them, and they swept through the water. Hilary watched the near ing land with interest that deepened as he began to make out the luxurious growth of conifers that covered it al- most to the seas verge.
 In the center he could now make out a ridge of low hills, which seemed to ascend to a 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. Hello! Whats that?"
 Somebody has got there before us." said Cornell.
 boat came into view, a little fish ing sloop, much like Duval's, beached on the shore, the sails down, the bow high above high water.
 That boat belongs to Jacques Brousseau." said Louis, pointing to- ward it.
 "What's he doing on my limits. ! wonder" unused Hilary.
 q guess he's making this his winter quarters. He's trapped the seigniory so long that he thinks it's his terri. tory"
 They grounded. Duval. leaping ashore, 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- der the shelter of the island. they found 1t warm autumn weather. Leaving Louis stretched out in the boat, under a tarpaulin, Lafe and Hil- ary started up the sloping beach toward the interior. The first thing that they noticed as peculiar. when they had passed the outer fringe of trees, was the existence of n well-defined trail. They stopped and looked at 1t.
 Do you suppose old Jacques made all thatT asked Lafe.
 'TOo wide."
 And too hard. MT. Askew. This has been stamped out this summer And Jacques has only been here a week, at most"
 .Then-r asked Hilary.
 Somebody else has been on the island all summer. or at least most oi the summer. Maybe two or three o1 them. It looks like it."
 The trail had disappeared. They were now scrambling up a gulley be tween great rocks that lowered or