Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1920-04-08
CHAPTER XII.
Dreams and Dangers.

Improved rapidly under Medicines
nursing, aided by her fathers skilled
treatment of the wound. On the Sec
ond day Hilary was conscious, on the
fourth Rosny announced that the
crisis was past; upon the ninth the
patient was sitting up in bed and de-
handing solid food.
LATE was the happiest man III The
world when, at last admitted to the
bedside, he asked and received abSS-
luton for his desertion.
snow I've got some good news" he
said, when Hilary persisted in asking
about the work. t"We've got that
shipment off, and Dupont will have
both vessels back in a few days for
the next. The mills working over
time and the gangs back on the job"
"You paid them two d~ollars?"
"Not a cent more" said LATE tri-
umphantly. "They asked to go back
to work, and you ought to see them
working! 1 guess they feel that they
haven't given you a square deal, and
Mr.. Rosny's been having a few words
with them, / hear. Anyway, they
know now it's Morris who tipped off
the revenue people, in order to make
trouble for you, and the result is this
part of the country has grown too hot
for him. So he's gone away. I hear
he had a quarrel with Brousseau over
the share of their plumber, and they
almost came to blows over it. Well,
that's the first Of the gang out. And
Macpherson has turned out a trump.
working overtime and making the
hands work, and it begins to look to
me as if we'll win out after ALL"
This was good news. 1t was now
| September, and in little more than a
month the snow should extend con-
siderably their cutting area.
So they discussed their plans, until
Madeleine, coming in, drove Connell
away. Hilary would not ask MIN
about his assailants, and LATE was
glad to avoid the subject. 1t was
Father Lucien who took it up later,
when Hilary was convalescent.
He hummed and hawed a good deal,
and finally the truth came out. 1t
would be easy enough to get the po-
lice up from Quebec, but the quar-
tette would have to be laid by the
heels before the advent of winter
made further action impossible for
months. OF the four, Pierre had dis
appeared. Leblanc was said to have
| gone into the woods for the winter to
trap, having apparently abandoned his
pretense of a suitcase on the Ste.
| Marie limits. Simeon Duval was run
ming his saloon wide open, and swear.
ing that, Hilary having assaulted him,
| he had struck with his knife in self
defense, while in a h~alf-stunned con-
dition. Little Louis, his brother.
scared out of his wits, had been tc
see the cure with a view to making his
peace.
Hilary had no desire to punish
Louis any further, though he meant to
deal with Pierre and Leblanc when
the opportunity arose. He meant to
rid the community of them and
Simeon; but he had a strong mans
reluctance to call upon the law to
avenge a physical assault. In the end
the cure went away with the under
| standing that Louis was forgiven, and
with no decision taken as to further
action.
"But what strength! What power,
monsieur!" he said admiringly, clench-
ing his hand over the muscles of
Hilary's arm. "Do you know, mon
sieur," he continued thoughtfully, Il
have often thought that a priest in
such a district as this needs the mus
cularity almost as much as the good
ness! All, Monsieur Askew, if ]
were your age, and of your strength.
what would I not do"
To Hilary his convaIescence was a
foretaste of paradise. Edmond Rosny
came in only for formal visits now,
twice or three times a day; but it was
wonderful to see Madeleine, whom he
knew that he loved with all his heart,
about his bedside all day long, and
then about his chair, waiting on him,
anticipating his wishes, until he felt
ashamed to be so helpless, her pride
gone, her scorn gone, her enmity as
well. When Hilary learned of the
part that she had played in his rescue,
and thanked her gratefully, she could
not meet his eyes.
Then came the first day on which
he was permitted to leave his room.
Leaning on Medicines arm, he had
gone out to feel the wonder Of the
sunshine and the crisp autumn air.
The garden had originally been laid
out, more than a century before, in
imitation of the formal gardens of
France of the period, with terraces
and statuary. Everything was in
ruin; and yet Hilary had the sudden.
inexplicable of having come
home.
"Mademoiselle Rosny," he said, 1--WE
are going to be good friends in future,
aren't we? The goodwill goes with
your kindness, even if it does not go
with the trees"