The Dolores star., 1920-06-11
CHAPTER 1.
Tho Rosny White Elephant.

'{& CHAPTER ].
s -
1& Tho Rosny White Elephant.
I be office in Quebec which Georges
hartine, the notary. occupied was
ted inconspicuously in small
ding in an old part of the Lower
IN. Small. wiry. black-haired,
an air Of unconvincing PLAUSIBLE
about him. Monsieur Lamartine
seated at his desk, drumming his
ers. staring out of the window, and
ling again to look at letter signed
Try Askew. when his boy brought
card with the same name upon
Monsieur Lamnrtine frowned.
Tell Monsieur Askew that I am
. b with an important court case"
Baid. ASK him to call at this time
borrow"
Mr.. Askew says he's busy, too. and
wait" announced the boy. return
fhe notary considered. "Well. tell
I'll see him in few minutes" he
wered.
When the boy was gone he took
'n the telephone receiver and gave
humber.
Is that you. Brousseau2' he asked.
onsieur Hilary Askew has turned
There was a sputtering at the other
b of the line which made the notary
)ile.
n can't say. 1 haven't seen him
:" said Monsieur Lamartine, in an
er. But If l can't send him home
fh smile on his lips and a check
his pocket l shall try to keep him
Quebec until l have seen you. And
nd better try to get Morris by long
tance and warn him. Good-by."
He hung up the receiver, rang for
boy and told him to admit Mr..
kew. Then he rose to receive his
litor.
BE looked at Hilary keenly as he
pok hands with him. The young man
IS different from what he had eX-
cted. He was about us big, and he
b the same air of American energy
he appeared more determined, he
pked like one of those uncomfortable
IN who have the knack of disentan-
ing themselves from sOphistrieS.
pwever. Hilary looked good-natured.
pd he was certainly inexperienced.
pnsIeur Lamartine gave him chair
hd looked very plausible indeed.
''Your visit has followed very close
BON your letter. Mr.. Askew," he said.
Perhaps you did not get mine. advis-
Is you to wait before coming to Que
tcY
"No." said Hilary. "but would have
|me anyway. want to get this mat
r settled"
THE American haste" said the no.
ry. looking almost ingenious. But
De law is not to be taken by storm.
'ast of all in Quebec. 1t is only
3onth since your uncle died. Perhaps
Will be months before we can turn
Per the property to you. I under
hnd that you were not in close touch
f1th your uncle during his latter
earsT
Il hadn't seen him since l was boy.
nat was what made the legacy sur
fising one. He had not shown any
>terest In me. l had a hard fight to
et through my forestry course. So
Fhen / heard that had become the
vner Of a tract of hundred square
)iles 1t seemed like an Intervention of
fovidence. That Is almost king
pm, SIR"
"Ten miles by tent" inquired the
Ptary, smiling. "Well. / suppose 1t
pes seem a large territory to you, al
Pough the Rosny seigniory was one of
70 smallest of the old feudal grants.
Is almost the last on the north shore
the st. Lawrence that remains in
Pe hands of the original family"
-Four hundred thousand dollars
PENS big sum for my uncle to have
bid for it." said Hilary.
Your uncle" said Monsieur Lamar
ne, beginning to drum softly, ''made
Pis Investment against the advice of
good many people. The Rosny tim
Pr rights are practically valueless. be-
euse the wood is principally balsam
instead Of pine and spruce"
he noted that Hilary only watched
I'm instead of answering. and he be-
Pm to feel that he would not be dis
Psed Of as easily as he had antici-
hted.
The property has never begun to
ry Its way" continued Monsieur La-
lartine. Your uncie paid three hun
fed and fifty Thousand for the cutting
|ghts alone. He found himself up
ainst the law which places limit
the size of trees. Seven inches for
ack. Of swamp spruce, believe;