The Raymer enterprise., 1920-05-13
CHAPTER II.
lafe conneli Explains.

AFTER DTedkIHst tue Heal uiutniuk
Hilary hired Monsieur Tremblay's
buggy and started out with Lafe, with
the intention of covering a portion OF
the limits and seeing the operations OF
the jobbers; he also meant to keep
his eyes open as to the nature OF
the timber.
The buggy surmounted nil. and
another hill appeared In the distance.
Here and there. scattered along the
roadside, were solitary cabins, with
little patches OF cultivated ground
about them.
"And on the right OF the read Is the
Ste. Marie territoryf" 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
fri" he asked "There's enough lum-
ber here to I'll our dam Instead Of
the Ste. Marie company's logs"
Lafe answered volubly. but did not
meet TIilary's eyes.
'You see. Mr.. Askew,' he began to
explain. "it's this way. There's a
good deal OF fir on our property, and
what pine and spruce there is Is small
Icb Thnra hfo Gru thIu n
district fifteen years or so ago. Now
Mr. Morris calculates that II we go
slow for while and give the trees n
chance to grow. they'll be worth twice
as much In few years. We're de-
yelopIng the property slowly. Mr..
Askew--"
IIllary's hand fell on Lafe's shoul-
der. "Connell," he said, "I brought
you up here with me to learn the truth
from yon. 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
Ike schoolboy caught In wrong
doing. But Hllary's hand was grip
ping his shoulder and at last Lafe
raised his head and looked straight
nj Hilary.
'If | thought you'd stick here.' he
said. Il guess I'd back you to the lin
1t. But you'll never stand for St
Bonlface Mr.. Askew. They're so In
formally slow here. they aIn't got hu-
man ways. sir And they're crooked.
thought. when heard you was COM
Ing. you'd be like Mr.. Morrls-I mean,
wise to the game-but you aln't.
guess most business Is crooked every
where, but here It's crooked all
through. You'll be selling out to Mr..
Brousseau In months time. and
that'll 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 a 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 mo-
ment Lafe Connell's keen gray eyes
met his searching inquiry; then he
took Illary's hand and wrung II.
II believe you mean what you say,
Mr.. Askew." he returned. "And you
can reckon on me SO far as my duty
goes"
II suppose that tale about the Ros-
ny seigniory being nothing but fir IL
a lie, Connell?" asked Hilary pres
emily. as the pony ambled through
valley oyergrown with red pine.
"Mostly." said Lafe. "There Is n
deal of fir, but there's enough spruce
and pine to make the concession pay,
II Mr.. Morris wanted Il to-"
ESQ Morris has been playing doublef"
Lafe nodded. you see, Mr.. Askew.
is this way" he said. "When Morris
zane up here | believe he meant to
run straight. But he'd been a lumber
man In small way up In Ontario. and
he wasn't wise to the game rs 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
1t In his hands. he naturally fell for
the game Broussean was playing.
"Broussean Is the big man up here.
and he'd had his eye on the Rosny
seignlory for n 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 1t, to keep hold
on Rosny.
"Well. the Rosny selgnlory Is the
only piece Of freehold up this way. Be-
yond It's government land. and all
round It's government land. Brous-
seau started In to squeeze your uncle
out. And Morris went with him. He
played double. a. you were saying,
tGn Asko2 Thn nnInk ~ tho ,,horo