Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1920-03-02

der roughly constructed roof, was
small hand machine, consisting In the
main of two steel rollers. white with
crushed rock.
Looks like hand four-mill," said
Lafe. 81 thought maybe it might be
gold. But it amt gold. Alluvial's
washed in stream, and quartz gold
has to be got with cyanide"
A pick next caught their eyes. Some
body, or party, rather, had been work
ing at the rocks. apparently to take
samples of some ore; but there was
certainly no gold in the Laurentian
granite.
Suddenly LATE uttered an exclama-
ton and, STOPPING down, picked up a
matted handful of some 6brous, wool
like material that had been stuffed
into cleft. He pulled out yet anoth-
CT handful, and more and more-stiff
wool, yet of stony consistency-spun
stone, if such thing were possible.
"ROck flax" he exclaimed. 81 seen
1t down Thetford way years ago, Mr..
Askew. Leok there! The cliffs alive
with it"
Asbestos" cried Hilary.
"A regular asbestos quarry" said
LATE. There's thousands Of dollars
worth here. Look at It'll"
Hilary could sec now that the coarse
fibers ran through the side Of the cliff
in every direction. They were so
blended with the notified stone that
he had not even noticed them.
THAT accounts for everything" he
said.
YES, Mr.. Askew. guess Brous-
seau wasn't paying all those hands at
Ste. Marie and pretending to work his
limits just to jump your timber rights.
I knew he had something up his sleeve,
but didn't know what. l knew there
wasn't no gold round here"
so that's why he wants to get me
out of the way
'That's the whole game, sir. He
knew you'd hit upon this mine sooner
or later. though he'd left the island
off the map of-the seigniory. Lord,
what fool was not to have known p
There's more to it than that, LATE.
That's why he tried to draw us off the
scent on the subject of the river boun-
dairy. He thought that il he could get
into a fight with us over that we
wouldn't be thinking of the island
And this mine belongs to Rosny No
wonder Brousseau wants the seign.
Tory !"
"It's as good as a play" said Lafe.
sit gives US the trump card" said
Hilary. at means that he'll lose his
hold over him, and-well, LATE, | feel
too happy to say any more about it."
LATE grabbed him by the hand.
"We've won," he said ecstatically
"And now I guess we'd best be start
ing for the boat"
They retraced their steps along the
trail. 1t was nervous experience
with the thought that old jacques
might be lurking in the bushes nearby
However, by the time they reached the
little open space they satisfied them
selves that he was not following them
We've passed our landing place,
said Hilary,
Looking out across the gray waters
he perceived, close at hand, and ap-
parently .beached on the shore, the
white sail Of sloOp. It seemed to be
the vessel which they had seen earlier
that afternoon, lacking toward the
south shore.
The men looked at each other, and
the same unspoken question was in
the eyes of each. Then LATE grabbed
Hilary by the shoulders.
"See here!" he said. "We amt 60.
ing to stay and fight Brousseau's gang
just for the fun of it. / guess it's
Pierre and Leblanc in that boat all
right, and that they're on their way
home We beat 1t for ours as hard as
we can go-see? You amt fit to do
no more fighting anyway" he pleaded
"And l won't, no matter What happens
that's straight to you. I'll fight any
man with fists if 1 got to. but I'm
darned IL I'll stand up against that
scum with camp knives"
you're quite right, Lafe," answered
Hilary. ''Come, let's get to the boat as
quick as we can"
But as they started there rang out a
woman's cry. Again came the scream
and in an instant, forgetful of their
resolution. they had turned and raced
back along the trail.
Not many steps. and, breaking
through the trees. they saw Marie Du-
pont struggling In Pterre's arms. while
Leblanc and Nanette stood near them,
laughing.
LATE leaped at Pierre, and his bony
fist caught the outlaw beneath the
chin. Pierre went down In q heap.