The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1920-02-20
your proposal. please" said Hilary

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'n put Mr.. Norris back as
manager and go home. or else you'll
sell out to me-"
Yes. 1t 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 sayagely 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
tfon." 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.
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
III run you out of this country" he
raved. "Pli freeze you out before the
winters over. Monsieur Askew You
watch mel''
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 furlously
and. turning upon his heel. stamped
out of the office. From his desk Hilary
t-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
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. We'll keep Dupont
busy. And We'll wind up the year with
substantial balance to our credit"
The Ste. Marie lumber" unused
Lafe
Il guess they call 1t So But I be-
lieve it's all ours. We've got the whiD
hand OF Brousseau there because it's
our mill. and Duponts independent of
Brousseau. Brousseau can't stop me
using that lumber, and he daren-. go
to law about IT.
Lafe approved the scheme. with
warnings to Hilary about going slow.
Ihey went up to the dam and looked
over the logs in the river Riviere Ro-
cheuse was packed as far as the eve
could reach. The sight raised HtInry's
spirits. There must be thousands of
dollars worth of lumber in between
the high banks, ready To be passed
| through the rossing mill for Dupont's
schooner.
Lafe came TO him next day.
The logs In the dam are going into
the mill all right" he said, but they
mint coming downstream above IL.
Baptiste says there's jam In the
gorge"
They got the rig and drove TO the
spot AT the gorge was solid wall of
logs, packed like the straw coverings
of wine-bottles. The starting of the
logs had wedged them together here.
1t was clear that 1t would be necessary
TO start the mass with dynamite
Il guess that's the trick" said Lafe.
'Baptiste here is an expert dynamiter."
Yes, that shift him quick" said
.Iean-Marie. mighty quick. maybe. |
think. Mr.. Askew. 1t is better first to
make stronger your boom. or else your
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 Il gang 20 work at daybreak to-
morrow" Hilary instructed him.
That night Hilary congratulated him.
self on having started his counter-of-
fensiye against Brousseau. In spite of
the mans influence in the district. he
felt assured of the loyalty of the bulk
of his men. Lafe was worth a hundred
and little Baptiste knew his job per-
fectly. He went TO bed in high spirits.