The Rice belt journal., 1920-05-22
CHAPTER x.
Unexpected Allies.

Unexpected Allies.
Lafe COnnell, at Monsieur Trem-
blay'S hotel, stretched out his legs upon
a chair and puffed viciously at his
pipe, while Monsieur TrembIay leaned
against the wall and listened to his
guests semi-sOliloQuy.
Yep, Tremblay, I'm through now"
Lafe was saying. 'Pm through for
good, and I'm going to wait here till
the boat comes tomorrow and then
beat it for Shoeburyport. Lord, I'll be
glad to see Clarice-my wife-and the
kids again.
"Ive put up good fight, Tremblay.
I've dropped eight thousand dollars In
this fool game, and Clarice and me
will have to start buying our home
again when get back to Shoebury-
port, and maybe I won't hear nothing
about it, neither. But when it's a case
Of throwing away few thousand dol
lars worth Of lumber, Just because you
look upon a strike as a personal Of
fense, and me losing my home, I've
finished. I've come to the end. The
end-finish-nO more. You under
stand me, Tremblay. I'm going to
leave him to his fate" continued Lafe,
trying to draw a few more mouthfuls
of tobacco smoke from his burned-out
plug. TITS his fault"
He shook his pipe out angrily.
"0ui," said Tremblay; and the word
conveyed any significance that its
hearer might choose to put upon 1t.
"0ui," he continued thoughtfully,
though what he was thinking about
was incomprehensible.
'It amt my job" Lafe pursued. I'm
family man. l got my wife and kids
to think about, and I'm against pre-
paredness. It amt reasonable to hire
a man for manager and then expect
him to go round saloOn-busting, Is 1t,
Tremblay?"
OuIp uuoWClGu 4ACLlDluSs
"You're right" said Lafe. "0f
course it amt" He filed his pipe
again, lit and puffed at it. 81 don't
know what in thunder's wrong with
this tobacco tonight" he said, and
emptied it. He crossed his right leg
over his left, uncrossed them and then
crossed his left over his right. Then
he got up.
81 guess I'll take a stroll up the road
and see If the stars are out" he said.
Lafe's stroll was a rapid one. AS
soon as he had left the porch he al
most ran up the hill road toward the
cliff. AS he painted toward the summit
be heard the rumble of wheels In the
distance, and presently he saw the
cures rig coming toward him. He
hailed.
"Say, Father Lucy, d'you mind CIV
ing me lift into st. BonifaceT he
called.
The rig stopped and Lafe perceived
Madeleine Rosny seated at the cures
side. Her hands were clasped, her
face agitated and deathly pale. Lafe's
hand went up to his hat awkwardly.
II beg pardon, Father Lucy" he NUT
tered.
Jump in, Mr.. Lafe," said the cure.
"Pm glad that we met. We need you.
We are going to St Boniface. jump
In and shall tell you on the way"
Lafe entered the buggy, and Father
Lucien urged on the horse; then he
turned and said:
Louis Duval has opened a saloon
in Baptiste's old house, and Monsieur
Askew has gone to stop him."
II guessed so, Father Lucy" an
swered Lafe. Il was just on my way
there, in case there was going to be
trouble. / guess there isn't likely tC
be. though. Mr.. Askew knows how tC
take care of himself"
"Trouble?" questioned the cure
sharply. "They are going to murdeI
him."
81 heard some yarn like that from
Trembiay," said Lafe, ''but | guessed
that was all talk
"It was not talk. 1t is their plan,
said Father Luclen. "Mademoisellt
Rosny heard Of it from Monsieur
Brousseau days ago-it was on thu
day when you went to Ste. Marie. HI
rode with her toward Ste. Marie anC
told her so. She did not believe him
This afternoon she learned of it agail
from little Baptlste, who asked her Il
warn Monsieur Askew. Everybod,
knew he would go alone to st. BOni
face to stop the sale Of liquor. Made
moiselle Rosny rode up to the CAM
to warn Monsieur Askew, as Baptist
had begged her. He would not llstel
! to her. She came to me. 1t is a dey
, lis plot" he said sternly, "and IL the
! hurt one hair of his head they shall g
to prison for It"
j 1--WE must get there In time to say