The Crittenden press., 1920-02-27

swift gesture or hOpeleSsness lou u
call me II qultter. | suppose"
81 certainly should" answered Lafe
coolly. "The same ns you did me-"
Maybe. But | came up here to
plny certain game. ! came to put
the selgniory lumber business on Its
legs. And I've done 1t. ! stayed TO
fight Brousseau ufter he nearly got me
down. and I've beaten him. I've won
that game on every point. I'm going
10 make Brousseau refund his stenl-
lngs, nnd I'm going to leave you here
In charge for the present, 10 wind up.
] shall go 10 Quebec 10 start proceed
lngs and try TO find purchaser. Your
contract will hold as long as you want
II to. And I'm not coming back. I've
done what ] came for. haven't IT. he
ended detinntly.
That's the way all Quitters talk"
said Lafe.
llllary's nerves were gone. Of course
Lnfe knew that the last lap Of the
rnce wns the gruelng one. Hilary need.
ed help, that was all. Lnfe grew
crafty with his Idea.
well, you're boss, Of course" he
said reluctantly. "lf you've made up
your mind. II aln't for me to interfere
When gre you leaving slr|
Il sinl go out with Dupont when he
IA La ~
"Thnt'll he Friday. We can't have
the logs through the mill before then.
Dupont doesn't know YETI"
NO"
Lnfe reflected. The weather had
changed suddenly during the preceding
night. Already the shores OF the ST..
Lawrence were thick with grinding
iloes. The middle passage was clear.
hut In few days navigation would be
impossible; dog team would have TO
he procured and trained 10 run to-
ge,her Already II was difficult jour.
ney with n horse-selgh between the
camp md the mill. II the weather
held. Hilary could be held until he,
Lafe. had accomplished his purpose.
Hilary put on his hat and overcoat.
picked up his snowshoes and went To-
ward the stables. In few minutes
the horse had been hnrncssed TO the
sleigh and stood breathing great
clouds Of smoke into the frosty air.
II started and from the Office door.
way Lafe watched the man whom he
loved best In the world OF men driving
away.
lie waited I'LL the sleigh had dlsap-
peared among the trees behind the
bridge. lie allowed ten minutes more,
| to make sure that Hilary would not
change his intentions and return. Then
he coolly opened llllary's desk with n
duplicate key that had been made
after the burglary and took out the en-.
velope that contained the papers from
Morris. lie removed these and thrus,
them into his pocket. In the empty
envelope he placed some discarded let
tcrs from the was,ebasket. Then he
put back the envelope, closed the desk,
strapped on his snowshoes and left
the office.
Five minutes after he left Hilary was
back. His decision had suddenly come
To him. lie had resolved TO leave St.
Bonlfnce. and there wus nothing TO be
gained by procrastlnntlon.
lie wanted 10 leave 81. BonIface
forever, and to put the memory Of the
past months out NJ his mind, 80 far ns
II could be possible. lie hated the IT..
tie village; even Lnfe's presence had
become lntolcrahle TO him.
He went 10 Dupont on board his
schooner and arranged for him to sail
for Quebec the following evening with
the little lond-1nc schooner full
which he had. lie instructed him TO
say nothing 10 anybody about the ar.
rnnEement, lie saw nothing strunge
In Duponts manner or aspect and. hnd
he done so. he would not have thought
anything about z,
Having issued his instructions. he
drove back toward the camp.
hut. seeing that the office was dark
and unoccupIcd, he stopped there on
his way. opened his desk and took out
the envelope which he supposed to
contain the letter and paper from Nor.
ris. In Quebec he meant To 90 through
them again, mailing to Rosny those
papers that had reference to his az.
fairs and placing the Others in law.
ycr's hands for n civil suit.
lie packed II few Of his personal ef.
fcc,s In bag and left the office. us he
supposed for the last time,