Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-01-02
By VICTOR ROUSSEAU
Illustrations by Irwin Myers
a$ss


there. It's tough place, Mr.. Askew.
| seen some tough towns in the West,
but this has got 'em all beat, with the
smuggling of brandy. and the drinking,
and the fights every Saturday night
there was man knitted there last
week: and not a policeman within if
ty miles, and nobody except Father
Lucy. and he can't hold 'em."
'What want to know" said Hilary,
lis, What this company is that you
speak about, and how they come to use
the Rocky river for their logs"
LATE hesitated, but only for mo.
Fment. Then he mentally cast Brous-
zeal to the winds; for, after all, ie
Hilary meant TO know, nobody could
prevent 1t, Brousseaus instructions
Notwithstanding
''It'S this way, Mr.. Aslzew." he said.
''Air Morris and Mr.. Brousseau have a
company of their own. Their limits
touch ours on the west, across the
river, and run ten miles or so back
into the bush, right alongside ours.
They got the right to float their logs
down the river"
"And use the millT'
'"NIr. Morris leases the use OF our
mill by the year to the company
!. Hilary was staggered for the mo-
ment. sforris, as his uncles manager.
leasing the mill to Morris, partner in
Brousseau's company, seemed a queer
role.
"How do they tell our lumber from
theirs7" asked Hilary presently.
ooh, that amt hard" said LATE.
'You see. the j9Doers. who suitcase
the tracts. know how much their men
have cut. And it's scaled in the
woods before they shoot 1t down
stream. guess there amt no diff
Guilty there, Mr.. Askew. And you see.
Mr.. Morris representing both concerns,
he naturally does his best by both of
EN-"
HiIary's suspicious. dormant even
after the interview with LamarhEe.
were now thoroughly aroused.
"And Mr.. Brousseau has no concern
with us, except for the lease OF the
mill and the right-of-way dS.@n the
river unused Hilary. "Who is this
Mr., BrousseauT
"Wl:y, | guess he's the big man OF
the district" said LATE. Hes the
i nearest thing TO boss they've got up
here; tells 'em how to vote and gets
em out of trouble. He amt good to
his father, though. That was old
Jacques Brousseau in the store, the
trapper."
81 didn't see him."
''TIe was Mr.. Rosnys slave, or what,
ever they called them, in the old
times. before these people became
| free"
He tapped the ashes out Of his pipe
and pocketed it.
"Ife's got old Rosny In his pocket"
he said, leaning toward Hilary. "Css
got him bound and mortgage6 after
leading him to throw your uncle's
money away In crazy investments. He
did 1t deliberately, Mr.. Aslsew, When
he was a kid, growing up among the
house servants up at the Chateau,
he wanted TO ne big man, for whs1h
/ don't blame ldm. He got his way.
but that waan't enough. He wanted
the Seigneur's plNce, because he found
that the folks up here thought more
of old Mr.. Rosny, with his broken
down house aud debts, than they did
of him with all his money. SO lie set
| to work and got him cinched.
"The old man hates and despises
him, and he's been fighting against II
for a long time, but he seen what's
coming to him and guess he's made
up his mind he'll have to stomach it.
Brousseaus staked old Mr.. Rosny's
pride against his love. and guess he's
won his stake and won Mamzelle
Madeleine into the bargain"
He rose. '@That'Ii be all for tonight,
Mr.. AskewT he asked.
Hilary rose too. 'gThanks, Mr.. Com
NELL" he said. 'In the morning shall
ask you to show me around the place"
He didn't follow LATE ConneII in-
side the hotel, but sat upon the porch.
musing. Lafe had enlightened him on
several points. He doubted whether
LamartIne had spoken anything APP
preaching truth concerning the prop
erty, and ne was sure that Morris and
Brousseau were the company In whose
behalf he had offered forty-five thou
sand dollars. There would be need og
a good many explanations from Nor
Tis. Yet Hilary felt instinctlvely that
it was Brousseau, not Morris, with
whom ne would have TO contend.
On the face OF the soft night rose
the face of Madeleine Rosny painted
with surprising clearness. He saw the
blue of her eyes. the curve Of her
flushed cheek, the dignity and gentle
ness and pride that blended in her
looks. If ever he had any quarrel with
Brousseau, he would show him
Then he cursed himself for fool,
and, entering the hotel, took his lamp
and went up to his room.