The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-07-28


the mans influence In the district, he
felt assured of the loyalty of the bulk
of his men. Lafe was worth hundred
and little Baptiste knew his Job per-
fectly. He went to bed In high spirits.
The next morning Brousseau struck
his first blow. Hilary had just or
dered the.rig in order TO drive over to
Leblanc's lease and try to stop the
operations about the Chateau when
Leblanc appeared In the office, accom-
panied by four ruffians whom Hilary
recognized as the subjobbers.
'sWell, Leblanc?" asked Hilary.
.sWhats this l hear you make COM
plant about my work." Leblanc de-
manded.
you've been cutting round the
Chateau, Leblanc, and you'll have to
stop IT," said Hilary. "You knew you
were not supposed to cut there"
saint got right to cut on my own
lease?" demanded the jobber trucu-
lently.
Maybe you have, but anyway you
aren't going to cut round the Chateau"
"You think so?" asked Leblanc in
solently. "All right. You find another
boss jobber. Maybe you find one in
September what couldn't get a job
for next winter, you are so clever. l
don't know. For me, go to work for
Monsieur Morris at Ste. Marie"
$50 that's your game, Leblanc
How about that contract?"
THAT'S all right. But If don't pay
on January first, the contract is no
good. That was your words. which
you wrote down. Well. l keep the
lease if you like, Monsieur Askew, an
i cut where / like, or don't pay one
cent. An these men say they go wher-
ever go. They won't work for you
If l go, because you thrash Black
Pierre. They amt dogs, they're men,
an they got families. They don't
stand for no beating with fists. May
be you change your mind about the
cuttingT'
go to the devil !" shouted Hilary.
maybe you like to beat these men
now, eh?" sneered Leblanc. mo?
All right You find other boss jobber
Monsieur Askew."
He clapped on his hat and, as IL
they had rehearsed the scene, the four
ruffians followed Leblanc in solemn
and triumphant parade across the
floor and out Of the office.
This was first blood with ven-
geance. Leblanc's lease was neces-
sity; II meant money, and money Just
when his capital would be exhausted.
IL was essential to suitcase the tract
to some one else. But there was no
one In ST. Boniface capable of assum-
ing charge of such a contract. The
habitants had no heads for business
and no money to invest. All that was
paid out In wages flowed back to
the store, owned by the Ste. Marie
company, and TO the Ste. Marie sa-
looms. Ste. Marie was bleeding st.
Boniface white In every way.
Filled with resentment, Hilary coun-
fernandez the order for the rig and
walked up by the mill. His nerves
were raw and quivering as he reached
the end of the strip of land where
Rocky river pours into the gulf be-
low. The whistle blew. and he turned
toward st. Boniface and stopped.
watching the mob Of men emerging
from the mill.
How far could he count on them?
To the last penny, perhaps, and liter
ally: Their jobs would hold them to
him in spite Of Brousseau, just so long
as their wages were forthcoming.
Probably nine-tenths of them resent
ed his presence in their country. His
victory over Black Pierre had raised
him in their estimation; they might
hate him instead of despising him, but
that was ell. He could count on the
devotion and falthfulness of perhaps
one man besides Lafe Connell-little
Baptiste.
The gang was hard at work below
the dam, strengthening the structure
of the boom. Riviere Rocheuse, pour
ing down from the foothills of the
Laurentians, speeds with great force
through the gorge above st. Boniface.
WtutuS OppOSlte the SettiefneHt, anu,
gathering Its waters there. shoots
straight as a dart over the broken
cliff into the gulf.
II. when the jam was broken, the
pressure Of the great mass of logs
proved too strong for the boom. In
stead Of passing into the fiume they
would pour over the cataract into the
st. Lawrence. where their retrieval
would be impossible. Such an acci-
dent had happened on small scale
once before. II II should happen now
the loss would end all Hllary's hopes.
He was glad Baptiste had seen this.
Hilary searched for the figure of the
little timekeeper and general utility
man. but failed to find II.
He assembled the hill beside the rush.
ing cataract. He was crossing the
waste land where the logs and tin
cans were strewn when he saw Jean