The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-02-13
CHAPTER ~.
Lafe connelI Explains.

buggy and started out with Lafe. Win
the intention OF covering portion OF
the limits and seeing the operations OF
the jobbers; ne also meant TO keep
his eyes open as to the nature OF
the timber.
The buggy surmounted a hill. and
another hin appeared In the distance
Here and there. scattered along the
roadside. were solitary cabins. with
little patches of cultivated ground
about them.
''And on ths right OF the road Is tne
Ste. Marie territoryT' asked Hilary
"Yep, Mr.. Askew. The two runs
neck and neck back into them noun
tains. We turn of presently. We haven't
touched this district yet"
Hilary noted the first-growth spruce
along the banks "Why don't we cut
this. anyway, II the rest Is mainly
fir?" he asked There's enough lum-
Der here 70 fiji our dam instead OF
the Ste. Marie company's logs"
Lafe answered volubly. but did not
meet Hilary's eyes.
'You see. Mr.. Askew," he began 70
explain. its this way. There's
good deal OF fir on our property, and
what pine and spruce there is is small
fish, There was big fire over this
district fifteen years or so ago. Now
Mr.. Morris calculates that If we go
slow for while and give the trees
chance 10 grow. they'll be worth twice
as much in a few years We're de-
velopipg the property slowly. Mr..
Askew-"
Hilarys hand fell on Lafe's shout
der Council" he said. II brought
you up here with me TO learn the truth
from you. You're going TO sign on
again on October first, and It's me
you're going TO sign with. not Mr..
Morris. Now tell me the facts about
all this"
Lafe stammered and hung his head
like a schoolboy caught I'm wrong
doing. But Hilary's hand was grip
ping his shoulder. and at last Lafe
raised his head and looked straight
at Hilary.
IF l thought you'd stick here" he
said. II guess I'd back you TO the linn
II. But you'll never stand for ST.
Boniface. Mr. Askew. They're so in
formally slow here. they amt got hui
man ways, sir. And they're crooked.
i thought. when heard you was COM
ing. you'd he like Mr.. Morris-I mean
wise TO the game-but you amt.
guess most business IL crooked every
where. but here IT'S crooked all
through. You'll be selling out to Mr..
Brousseau in a months time. and
thatll be my finish"
You're dead wrong. Connell." an
swered Hilary. II like the looks of
this country, and I'm here to stay.
Now suppose you forget about Mr..
Brousseau for while and consider
yourself TO be what you are. my paid
employee. And you can count on my
standing by you
He held his hand out For n mo-
ment Lafe Connelrs keen gray eyes
met his searching inquiry; then he
took Hilary's hand and wrung it.
81 believe you mean what you say,
Mr.. Askew.' he returned. And you
can reckon on me so far as my duty
goes"
81 suppose that tale about the Ros-
ny seigniory being nothing but fir is
a lie, Connell?'' asked Hilary pres
emily, as the pony ambled through a
NdlltN Will Ecu pine.
Mostly" said Lafe. There is a
deal OF fir. but there's enough spruce
and pine to make the concession pay.
II Mr.. Morris wanted it to-"
$50 Morris has been playing double p
I.afe nodded. you see, Mr. Askew,
fits this way" he said. when Morris
came up here I believe he meant to
run straight. But he'd been a lumber
man In a small way up in Ontario. and
he wasn't wise to the game as It's
played here. Here it's graft. and it's
never been nothing else. So when
Morris found your uncle didn't know
nothing about the business. and left
II in his hands, he naturally fell for
the game Brousseau was playing.
"Brousseau is the big man up here.
and he'd had his eye on the Rosny
seigniory for long time. He wanted
to buy. but Rosny was sore on him.
and he closed the deal with your uncle
instead. But afterward Brousseau got
the mortgage on the Chateau and the
little bit of land round it. to keep hold
on Rosny.
well. the Rosny seigniory Is the
only piece of freehold up this way Be
yond it's government land. and all
round it's government land Brous-
sean started in to squeeze your uncle
out. And Morris went with him. He
played double as you were saying.
Mr.. Askew- The point of the whole
game was to freeze out your uncle
and get the property for a song.
That's how it stands. Here we turn
off into Mr.. Leblanc's lease"
who's hep
Your chief jobber," said Lafe.
The buggy turned of through the
forest along a new road Here was
solne splendid timber. black and white
spruce and tall white pine. The sound
OF axes began to be audible. and pres
emily they reached q clearing. In which
number of frame shackS were under
construction. Superintending the work
was tall. rather fair man Of about
forty years. with . cnat ~ one - :
md With hin Wns shoet. thiekGot