The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-02-14
"Your proposal, please" snid IIllnry

Your proposal, please" snid IIllnry
| quietly
| Now you're talking sense This
| mint thc United States. where YOU rich
| men can como into ~ territory and grail
| II away from the people under thcir
noses Your put MIR Morris back rs
manager and 20 home or else yuu'll
| sell out tu me"
Yes. If does cons, Ia about the same
thing" snid Hilary. "Why don't You
ask mo to make you free gift of the
| ConCcssiun2"
Hroussoau scowIed snyngcIy NJ the
| sarcasm. lie WIS educated enough ia
| be stung by banter. but not quick
| enough tn rctalinte In kind
Now I'll make you my own rroposf
'lon, said Hilary ITS this You can
! either submit your books to my inspee-
ton ana make good on TINT lumber
/ thnt Morris stole from me last yenr
ana Keep your men on your own limits
or You can give up the mill rights nfter
octoher first md bui.d your own mill
Hronssenu turned white with raga.
! III run you out of this country" he
rnved It'll freeze you out before the
winters over Monsieur Askcw. You
watch met
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"
Eroussenu shook with wrath. he
opened his mouth to speak. but snortpd
instead. he shook his fist furousiy
nhd. turning upon his heel. atnmpcd
out OF the office. From his dcsl, Hilary
watched him climb into the buggy and
drive away. His head was bent to-
Ward Madeleine Hosny's. nnd he was
talking emphaticnlly and gcsticualing
freely
Wars declared" snid Hilary tn him
self, with relief, rs he settled himself
In his chair
Hilary talked the mnttcr over with
Lafe later in the dry. EFF we can get
good shipment out before The Gulf
closes, he said. Eve cnn carry on Til
spring. But of course we cant haul
lumber out of the woods until there's
several feet of snow on the ground"
And Tint won't be till navignton's
ended for the year" said Lnfe.
$50 I'm going to put through The mill
every cord Of lumber In the river" con
tinued- Hilary. "We'Il keep Dupont
busy. And wen wind NJ the year with
substantial balance to our credit"
"The Ste. Marie lumber" unused
Lnfe.
i guess they call It SO. But I be
lieve It's all ours. We've got the whjp
hand of Broussenu there. because lis
our mill, and Dupont's independent of
Broussenu Brousseau can't stop mo
using that lumber, and he darent go
to Inv about IT,"
Lafe approved the scheme. with
warnings to Hilary about going slow.
They went m to the dam and looked
over the logs in the river. Riviere Ro-
cheuse was packed Ms far as the eve
could reach. The sight raised Hilnry's
spirits. There must he thousands of
dollars worth of lumber In between
the high banks, rendy to be passed
through the rosslng 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
amt coming downstream above II.
Baptiste says there's jam IN the
gorge"
They got the rig and drove TO the
spot At the gorge was n solid wall of
logs. packed like the straw coverings
Of wine-bottles. The starting of the
logs had wedged them together here.
II was clear that 1t would be necessary
to start the mass with dynamite.
81 guess thnis the trick " said Infp.
'Baptste here is IN expert dynamiter."
Eyes. that shift him quick" said
Jean-Mnrie. mighty quick. maybe. | !
think, Me- Askew. it is better first to
make stronger your boom. or else your
lumber go over the rapids into the
Gulf"
"IIow long will II take?" asked Hill |
airy.
"A week, maybe, for good work |
That boom, he will never stand so
many logs MS that, Mr.. Askew."
"Get gang to work Mt daybreak to-
Hilary instructed him.
That night Hilary congratulated him
self on having started his coupter-of-
fensiye against Brousseau In spite Of |
The mans influence in the district, he
felt assured Of the loyalty of the bulk
If his men. Lafe was worth u hundred
md little Baptiste knew his job per
fectly. He went to bed In high spirits.