The Connecticut labor press., 1920-03-20
CHAPTER XIV-continued.

to. And now"
 He rose to embrace her, but she stepped away from him. Mot until we are married. Edouard," she said.
 Brousseau winced now. 'It almost looks as if you didn't love me-" he muttered in disgust. And in that sentence the major part of his charac- ter might have been epitomized.
 Two days after the news reached Hilary he went into the village for his mail. Taking it to his office to read, he found among it bulky envelope addressed to him from Ontario in an unknown writing. He opened it and found a letter from Morris.
 However evasive the ex-manager had been in conversation, he was di- rect enough in writing. "You didn't treat me well, and I guess you had reason to act as you did" he wrote. That hound Brousseau swindled me as he was swindling you, and I'm go- ing to put you in possession of the facts and documents, which I took from his desk before leaving. You needn't have any scruples about using them, because they refer principally to you"
 fought enough of the mat L. man to Lafe, asking him
 immediately; and that
 (, two men went over the B.. ugether.
 "It's q clear case" said Hilary. "He's been swindling the property right and left. it seems. I allowed for a few thousands, but as make it out it amounts to nearly eighty thousand"
 Lafe whistled and took up the paper that Hilary handed him.
 "This is the, contract with Leblanc to cut on the St. Boniface limits," he said. "So there's no mistaking who owned that lumber in the river"
 He took up another document. "A contract with the Cornwall Paper company to supply twenty thousand cords of spruce wood from the St. Boniface limits," he said. And here's Norris receipt for seven thou sand dollars commission on 'gummy fir as he would call it-in other words, pulpwood sold off the seigniory during 1914, at 10 per cent. What do you ludhC OA IL, AdICS
 'Water-tight," answered Lafe.
 Here's another document that makes interesting reading" continued Hilary, handing it to him.
 Lafe studied it. q don't get it." he said.
 Its Lamartine's acknowledgment of fifty thousand dollars received from Rosny for fifty shares in the North Empire Development company-one of Brousseau's interests. Now look at this one. Lamartine is remitting five thousand dollars less the brokers charges for the sale of North Empire Development stock, as per order. He doesn't say how much stock. Lamar tine isn't fool. But here's Rosny's of the five thousand dollars less brokers charges for the sale of fifty shares, dated March 9, 1913. Now here's 8 stock market clipping from a newspaper of March 4, showing the stock at $S75.
 'That's where we've got him, Lafe. Lamartine's letter proves nothing, but Morris got hold of Rosny's acknowled- ment, probably for blackmailing pur- poses, and it shows Brousseau has swindled Rosny out of $37 900 on that deal. Probably there were others. That's where his money went"
 Its a pity Morris couldn't run straight, being as thorough as he is," said Lafe.
 Hilary looked at him searchingly until he compelled him to return his gaze.
 You have been very reticent of late, Lafe. Whats the trouble?"
 'I guess it ain't much," said Cornell. "Well, you see, it's this way" he went on reluctantly 'I knew what lies that blackguard was spreading about yor And I didn't know whether to tell you or not, MT. Askew. I knew Baptiste saw us with that girl in Ste. Marie, and knew from his face that he wasn't pleased. And again didn't know what to do. And I decided to lie low. It's my way; maybe was wrong, but Pm against putting in. by nature."
 "Never mind, Lafe," said Hilary. 'It's too late to make any difference now"
 'tNo, it ain't too late!" shouted Lafe, leaping to his feet. ''Mr. Askew, you haven't told him-Mr. Rosny-about that asbestos mine, have you? You ought to have gone to him and let him know You could have saved Nam zelle Rosny from sacrificing herself this way. You can save her. and you're going to-"
 "I suppose I have let things drift" said Hilary somberly. "I lived in sort of hope that the mess would clear up. And hadn't the heart to do any thing at all-'
 There's the girl Marfe-won't she say anything?"
 She's afraid of her father. There's no telling how he would take it. At present I don't think he knows any thing"
 T wouldn't let that stand in my way" said Lafe emphatically.
 q don't think you'd really use that means of clearing yourself, if you were I, Lafe. And, besides that, she has my promise to say nothing, and that settles the matter. No, Lafe, you're talking nonsense"
 Maybe I am," said Lafe stubbornly. But I ain't going to see your happi- ness wrecked because two women haven't the sense and the heart to clear you. And I'm going to do it."
 ''No, you're not, Lafe," said Hilary bluntly.