The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-06-24

49, wv hAoN sui III -" LIZ
Hes cheated us out of eighty thou
sand dollars, and he's cheated you. Mr..
Rosny, out Of about as much, and prob
ably more, and you can put it in any
words you like. And I've got the pa
pers to prove tall of EN-"
Brousseau WINGED and staggered
back d~umfOunded; there was no mis-
taking now that the man was afraid.
Though Madeleine would not deign to
acknowledge that she had listened to
Lafe's words, LATE caught the flicker
OF her eyelids as she glanced quickly
toward Brousseau, and he knew that
at the same instant she had seer the
o on Br~ousseau's face. The Seig-
neur. mounting im%potently, had kept
trying TO rise; but now he sat open
mOuthed in his chair, and thereafter
they listened.
TIL tell you why he wants the
seigniory,' continued LATE. 81 guess
lis part plain greed, but there's an
other reason, and that explains why
he wants to get Mr.. Askew off. There's
an asbestos mine on the island-LOok
at him Look at him -,
BrOusseau was glaring at him, the
picture of impotent rage. Lafe, hav-
ing indicated him with his hand, re-
sumed:
HE kept 1t off the map In our Office,
pretending the island isn't on our linn
IT'S, and he spread hat story. but you
know better, Mr.. Rosny. The island
has the best asbestos mine this side of
Thetford, and I've seen the mines at
Thetford. And It's worth a good quar-
ter million dollars, I reckon. a Maybe
more. Maybe a million-I amt no
judge. And he's kept 1t secret from
you"
Hes drunk or dreaming" NUT
tered Brousseku, trembling. "A few
strands Of rock flax, commercially
worthless"
But that amt roguery. That's just
a business trick said Connell. "How
did he get you InsO his power, Mr.. Ros-
nv, asking your pardonl I'll tell you.
He's cheated you as he's cheated us,
except that II was worse. because you
trusted him, which we never did.
That's what Z come TO tell you, Mr..
Rosny. He's svindled you out Of
nearly forty thousand dollars on one
deal, in North Empire Development
company stock, and maybe in other
Brousseau feaped at LATE like a
tiger. LATE. who had anticipated the
move, stepped dexterously aside, at
the same time twirling the chair on
which his hand was resting. Brous-
seau, In his plunge forward, tripped
over it. stumbled and fell prone to the
floor.
"And ] got the papers to prove that
-here!" said Lafe triumphantly.
Brousseau rose, rubbing his shins
and muttering curses, and glared saw
agely about him. Madeleine was
breathing quickly, her eyes fixed in
tentfy on Lafe's face.
Its u id lie !" cried Brousseau.
They've forged those papers. Where
are they? Ell? Show me-"
"He said he was speaking for You,
Mr.. Rosny," said Lafe, 80 here they
are. / guess you know your sigma
ture?"
He drew the envelope from his peck
ct and placed the three documents on
the Seigneur's knee, standing between
him and Brousseau, who looked ready
to leap again. But he did not leap;
he muttered to Madeleine, who still
watched LATE b~reathlessly.
II guess these letters don't tell you
much. Mr.. Rosny," continued LATE. IF
you'll put them together you'll see that
those fifty thousand-dollar shares were
sold for you In Quebec at a hundred
dollars apiece"
Yes. Monsieur Brousseau had i'll
fortune with hat company. He ex-
planned Ii to me-" said the Seigneur.
trembling. what of it?'
"Why, here's the market price of it's
shares FIVE days before at sS75, that's
ALL" said LATE. ut didn't tumble that
fast. All the country would have been
ringing with ii If it had done that. L
guess Brousseau has that money of
yours tucked away safely somewhere"
you ave me your power Of attor-
ney-" Brousseau began.
But his guilt was written on his
face. The swiftness of tho blow had
utterly disconnected him and made him
incapable of defense. Lafe saw the
Seigneur's expression change as If a
mask has teen torn from his fea-
lures. He staggered to his feet, his
left side helpless. and. grasping the
chair with his right hand. confronted
Brousseau.
"what have you to say? Is II true
or false, monsieur he cried. where
are my other s.ocksf You had a hun
dred thousand Of my money. Where
Is itT'
"Find i'll" yelled Brousseau. go to
the devil with your money! / tried to
help you out of friendship. / haven't
time To work out your stock exchange
accounts for you. II anybody's cheat
| ed you It's the ~stockbroker. Go to him
for itr' He started toward Madeleine.
"You don't believe these lies against
met" he cried.
"You have insulted my father. bat
You have not answered him."
"IIl pay him."