Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-02-27

CHAPTER XIII.
The Island.


spend three hours there and return on
the evening tide.
Hilary, seated opposite his friend,
told him of the conversation with
Louis, who. manipulating the tiller,
heard nothing.
s'If Louis will swear to what he in
formed me-" he said, "it means that
we can clap Brousseau into jail. 9th
erwise he'll never give up his schemes
against me, because he has personal
grievance"
'Mr. Askew," said Lafe, might /
put a question to you without giving
offense?"
'You may, Connell."
"Tm only saying what everybody's
saying in st. Boniface, and that is
about your cutting Brousseau out with
Mademoiselle Rosny."
'I guess It's true, Lafe." said Hilary.
eLafe. she's-well. you understand"
81 guess / do" said Lafe. He
stretched out a sinewy hand and
gripped Hilary's warmly. II wish
Clarice-my wife-could meet you," he
said.
Il hope she will, Lafe, some day.
But now about Brousseau."
II asked you that" said Lafe, be
cause there's a lot hangs on it. Now
as to Louis-he wouldn't swear. If
he did swear. he'd swear that he'd
been lying as soon as Brousseau
slipped him ten-dolIar bill. No, sir,
1t won't do. We've got to get the fox
right into the trap before we spring
It,"
'Tm afraid I am no hand at spring
iiJ traps, Lafe."
mo. But we've got to give him rope
enough to hang himself. We don't
want to go of at half-cock. That's
palmer. amt iti My advice is as be-
fore; lie low. You see. sir, when a
man schemes and schemes and plans
his crooked work, all that he's doing
Is to twist the rope tighter round his
own neck. We've got him now, but
we must get the moose tight, so that
he ~--.'s wriggle out of it. And he'll
twist it tight next time he wriggles
That's my idea, Mr.. Askew."
Il guess you're right as usual Lafe, =
answered Hilary. But I've been ly-
Ing low laundering long time"
No more was said upon the subject
Out in the Gulf the choppiness of the
waves had changed tola steady sweer
toward the island, which, lying In mid
stream, received and broke the full
force of the daily tides. The WIND
aided them, and they swept through
the water. Hilary watched the near
ing land with interest that deepenet
as he began to make out the luxuriou:
growth of conifers that covered 1t al
most to the seas verge.
In the center he could now max,
out ridge Of low hills, which scenes
to ascend to a terminal cliff, havin,
on one side a gentle slope and, on tn,
other, precipitous descent towart
the water.
There ought to be some fine cut
ting there for us some day" sal,
Hilary. "Hellol What's that?
Somebody has got there before us,
said Connell.
boat came into view, little fish
Ing sloop, much like Duval's, beache,
on the shore, the sails down. the boy
high above high water.
THAT boat belongs to Jacque
Brousseau," said Louis, pointing tc
ward II.
Whats he doing on my limits.
wonder" mused Hillary.
Il guess he's making this his winte
quarters He's trapped the seignior
so long that he thinks it's his terr
tory"
They grounded. Duval, leapin
ashore. brought the bow round abov
the water level. Lafe and Hilar
stepped out and stretched their cramI
ed limbs.
The wind blew keenly, but, once III
der the shelter of the island. the
found 1t warm autumn weathe
Leaving Louis stretched out in tn
boat, under tarpaulin, Lafe and Hi
airy started up the sloping beach towar
the interior. The first thing that the
noticed as peculiar when they ha
passed the outer fringe of trees. WE
the existence of well-defined trai
They stopped and looked at it.
DO you suppose old jacques mad
all thatT asked Lafe.
TOO wide."
sand too hard. Mr.. Askew. Tn
has been stamped out this sumrne
} And Jacques has only been here
week, at most"
Then asked Hilary.
Somebody else has been on II
island all summer, or at least most
the summer. Maybe two or three
them. 1t looks like It,"
: The trail had disappeared. Tn,
were now scrambling up a gulley b
: tween great rocks that lowered ,
either side Of them. At the ton
the elevation appeared the point
the island. and the face of the gre
cliff, cleft into numerous assures. sop
widening into small caves.
Suddenly Lafe gripped Hilary's ar
and pointed. Through the scrub tn
could see Jacques Brousseau comi,
out Of an aperture in the cliff, a de
but narrow cleft that opened towa
the base into wide recess.
Jacques saw them at the same til
md stood motionless. As Lafe al
? Hilary advanced he seemed to be q
|, vanized into life. He rushed iowa
: them. screaming, his face conyuls
= with fury.
= Hilary cast his eyes about to asc
tain the cause Of the old mans fu
I He saw, near the caves mouth, a lar
!. slab Of granite, and a heavy hamn
u lying beside 1t.
Lets see what he's got there"
c said at doesn't look like traps
g me-"
!; The sun, now very low, shone I
q into the interior. 1t revealed a cave
s Gus depth, whose recesses we're lost
gloom, high arch, and the remnal
l. of many fires on the granite slabs Il
y paved 1t almost as regularly as tn,
of a city sidewalk. Somebody /
camped here for a long time-p
| rft