Iron County register., 1920-03-11

Brousseau was not long In declaring
war. On the following afternoon, as he
sat in his Office, Hilary, looking through
the window, saw Madeleine Rosny
driving rig along the road toward the
mill. Beside her sat a man whom he
had never seen before. He surmised
at once that it was Brousseau, but he
hardly expected that the girl was
bringing him to the Office.
Such proved to be the case. The rig
stopped at the door and Hilary had a
glimpse of Madeleine's averted, scorn-
full face as she sat waiting, as if Hilary
was beneath her pride, as If to stop
there was no more than to stop at any
laborer's shack. Her companion leaped
out and came briskly to the door.
He was a man of something more
than forty, but active and young-look-
ing. He came into the Office and glared
down at Hilary, who at once rose and
faced him.
"I'm Mr.. Brousseau," said the visitor.
"I've heard of you," said Hilary.
you'll hear more of me. You as
saulted one Of my men yesterday. Do
you think you can come into this coun-
try and knock my men about like that
for doing their duty?"
"He was on the Rosny seigniory, and
cutting my timber"
"He was on the west side of Riviere
Rocheuse," snarled Brousseau. "The
Riviere Rocheuse has never been sur
veyed. What you call the creek is the
upper part of Riviere Rocheuse. lie.
blanc had permission to cut that tract
for Mr.. Morris because our two COM
panies worked hand in hand. 1t is not
my way to make explanations, Mons
ieur Askew, but take that for what it
is worth"
II do so, and it is worth nothing"
Hilary answered. "What is your prop
osition?"
"You assaulted my man."
"Never mind your man. He started
it, and he needed it. If find him on
my limits I'll assault him again. You
haven't come here to complain about
that, Monsieur Brousseau. What have
you come for?"
Brousseau advanced and banged his
fist on the desk. "I've come here to
tell you that you're a fool, young man."
he answered. "My word goes in this
part of the country, and you can't come
In here and fight me-"
"Your proposal, please" said Hilary
quietly.
'Now you're talking sense. This
amt the United States, where you rich
men can come into 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-"
'Yes, it does come to about the same
thing" said Hilary. "Why don't you
ask me to make you free gift of the
concession?"
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
tion," said Hilary. 'It's this. You can
either submit your books to my inspec-
ton and make good on that lumber
that Morris stole from me last year,
and 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. "Tll freeze you out before the
winters over, Monsieur Askew. You
watch mel"
MAYBE" said Hilary. Meanwhile,
I 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 furiously
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.
"War's declared" said Hilary to him
self, with relief, as he settled himself
in his chair.
Hilary talked the matter over with
Lafe later in the day. 'If we can get
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 Lafe.
$50 I'm going to put through the mill
every cord of lumber in the river" con-
tinued Hilary. "Well keep Dupont
busy. And We'll wind up the year with
Observation-Disclosures to our credit"
"The Ste. Marie lumber" mused
Lafe.
II guess they call it so. But I be-
lieve it's all ours. We've got the whip
hand of Brousseau there, because it's
our mill, and Dupont's independent of