Cheyenne record., 1920-08-05
BY VICTOR ROUSSEAU
Illustrations BY ls-vtn Myers

beside him.
Hilary looked at him with q whim-
sical smile. "We're finished, Lafe.
This affair. coming on top Of the can
ceiling Of those jobber1 leases, has
ended me-"
Lafe scratched his chin. but said
nothing to this.
"YOu see," said Hilary. according to
my reckoning we shall have about for
ty thousand dollars on hand about
September first. That will last rs tin
Christmas. On the first Of the year
we shall be up against 1t. We need
another sixty thousand to carry NJ
through the winter, till navigation
opens and we call sell our cutting. No
banks going to lend US anything with
our record"
1--WE can ship six thousand cords BY
December first" said Lafe.
"Thirty-five thousand dollars-per.
haps less"
1--WE could get more out Of those
river bottoms" suggested Lafe.
"And shut down in the middle OF
March,"
'As far as l can see," Lafe blurted
out, you'll be about ten thousand shy,
Mr.. Askew, assuming things go fairly
well. That's why l came here. You
see, it's Nke this. I've got nearly eight
thousand in the First National bank
at Shoeburyport. Mass. Clarice
Connell, that is-wouldn't let me buy
her a house on the installment plan
as wanted to. She said as I'd never
know when we'd need the money, and
If couldn't pay up on time they'd get
1t away from us somehow, no matter
whau the contract said. It seemed
mighty unreasonable to me. Mr.. Az
kew, but I'm glad n0w-I sure ann
glad"
'Lafe." said Hilary. "are you crazy
enough to suppose I'm going to take
the money that you and Mrs. Connel
have been saving up for home, and
put it into this bankrupt concernT
"Oh, shucks!" said Lafe. 'Why
that amt nothing. guess I know q
good thing when see one. I'm loan
ing 1t to you, Mr.. Askew. at-any rate
you want to pay me-"
"Lafe, you're a fool" said Hilary.
trying to keep his voice steady: "rm
tempted. But I'm not going to take
it."
''Then I guess TIL take the next boat
home!" shouted Lafe. II amt going
to work for a busted concern what's
going to leave me stranded up here In
midwinter. not drawing a cent, and
Clarice-my wife-and the kids In
Shoeburyport. No. sir! You take
that or I'll leave. It amt so crazy
as you think. It'll give me an interest
in getting the last ounce out Of the
men-and I guess Clarice will ap.
prove. And when the concerns on its
own legs, you-why, you can raise my
wages"
"Connell. you're . trump" said Hil-
ary. "I'll take It. Yes, I'll take II. be-
cause know now that am going to
succeed. We can't fail. Lafe. when
we're as much in earnest as we are.
Good Lord. what a despondent fool
I've been!"
"Sanie here" said Lafe. II was just
hopeless. till you made me sec
straight"
"Why, 1t was you made me sec
straight" said Hilary. "Now, Con-
nell, we'll push things hard from this
VCly We 6buAe Az SuSkAho
along the river, and we'll float the
logs right down stream to the mill, and
we1l keep Dupont and his schooner
coming and going till navigation closes.
even If we make Riviere Rocheuse
look as bare as our bank account was
looking just now. Baptiste will be
worth score when he understands"
He broke off suddenly. and the two
men, struck by the same thought.
looked at each other.
II wonder why Baptiste went OF as
soon as he'd dynamited the JAM" said
Hilary.
He felt ashamed Of his suspicious.
Yet, remembering that day when
Baptiste was comforting with Pierre.
he could not wholly rid himself Of
them.
"Lafe," he said, "what was 1t you
heard those men saying after the ac-
cident? You started"
"Why. guess that wasn't nothing.
Mr.. Askew. You know how excited
these people get over trifles. They're
just like a flock Of geese Cabling
around"
"What was It, Lafef"
"Just nonsense, sir. Not worth re-
peating, but-well, you see. it's this
way. Some darned fool said mat some.
body had sawed part way through the
logs of the BOOM"
Then for the first time the words Of
Madeleine Rosny came back to Hillary:
Look to your boomi Look to yeur
booml"
no hun0 hi. hood end Ausha<a ~afA
shame. It seemed impossible to asso-
ciate that act Of treachery with her.
Yet, struggle as he did. her Last