The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-04-24
"Your proposal, please" said Hilary

LA.
"Your proposal, please" said Hilary
quietly.
Nov you're talking sense. This
amt the United States, where you rich
men can come into a territory and grab
it away from the people under their
noses. You'll put Mr.. Morris back as
manager and go home, or else you'll
sell out to me-"
Eyes, it does cOINe to about the same
thing" said Hilary. "Why don't you
ask me to make you free gift of the
cOncessiOnY
Brousseau scOwled savagely at the
sarcasm. He was educated enough to
be stung by banter, but not quick
enough to retaliate in kind.
Now I'll make you my own PROPOSE
ton" said Hilary. ITS this. You can
either submit your books to my inspec-
ton and make good on that lumber
that Morris stole from me last year,
ana Keep your men on your own limits,
or you can give up the mill rights after
October first and build your own mill"
BrOuSseau turned white with rage.
I'll run you out Of this country" he
raved. "I'Il freeze you out before the
winters over, Monsieur Askew. You
watch mew
Maybe" said Hilary. Meanwhile,
[ think you're keeping the buggy wait
ing, and there is no use in prOlonging
this conversation unless you want to
accept my terms"
Brousseau shook with wrath; he
opened his mouth to speak, but snOrted
instead; he shook his fist furi0usly
and, turning upon his heel. stamped
out of the Office. From his desk Hilary
watched him climb into the buggy and
drive away. His head was bent to-
ward Madeleine Rosny's, and he was
talking emphatically and gesticulating
freely.
Wars declared" said Hilary to him.
self. with relief, as he settled himself
in his chair.
Hilary talked the matter over with
LATE later in the day. "If we can get
a good shipment out before the Gulf
closes" he said, 1--WE can carry on till
spring. But of course we can't haul
lumber out Of the woods until there's
several feet Of snow on the ground"
And that won't be till navigation's
ended for the year" said LATE.
$50 I'm going to put through the mill
every cord Of lumber in the river" CON
ttnued Hilary. 'We1l keep Dupont
busy. And we'll wind up the year with
a substantial balance TO our credit"
THE Ste. Marie lumber" unused
LATE.
81 guess they call it so. But l be-
lieve it's all ours We've got the whip
hand of BrOusseau there because it's
our mill, and Duponts independent of
Br0usSeau. BrOusseau can't stop me
using that lumber, and he daren't 20
to law about it."
LATE approved the scheme, with
warnings to Hilary about going slow.
They went up to the dam and looked
over the logs in the river. Riviere Ro-
cheuse was packed as far as the eye
could reach. The sight raised Hilarys
spirits. There must be thousands of
dollars worth of lumber in between
the high banks, ready to be passed
through the rossing mill for DupOnts
schooner.
LATE came to him next day.
1.-THE logs in the dam are going into
the mill all right" he said, "but they
amt coming downstream above it..
Baptiste says there's a jam in the
gorge"
They got the rig and drove to the
spot. At the gorge was a solid wall Of
logs, packed like the straw coverings
of winebOttles. The starting of the
logs had wedged them together here.
1t was clear that it would be necessary
to start the mass with dynamite.
81 guess that's the trick" said LATE.
"Baptiste here is an expert dynamiter."
eyes, that shift him quick" said
Jean-Marie. mighty quick, maybe.
think, Mr.. Askew, it Is better first to
make stronger your boom, or else your
lumber go over the rapids into the
Gulf"
"How long will it take?" asked Hill
airy.
"a week, maybe, for good work.
That boom, he will never stand so
many logs as that, Mr.. Askew."
Get q gang to work at daybreak to-
morrow" Hilary instructed him.
That night Hilary congratulated him
self on having started his counter-of-
fensive against BrOusseau, In spite of
the mans influence in the district, he
felt assured of the loyalty Of the bulk
of his men. LATE was worth hundred
and little Baptiste knew his job per-
fectly. He went to bed in high spirits.
LIVED LONG WITHOUT FOOD