The Connecticut labor press., 1920-03-13
CHAPTER XIII.
The Island.

spend three hours there and return on the evening tide.
 Hilary, seated opposite his friend told him of the conversation with Louis, who, manipulating the tiller' heard nothing.
 elf Louis will swear to what he in- formed me-" he said, "ft means that we can clap Brousseau into jail. 9th erwise he'll never give up his schemes against me, because he has personal grievance"
 s'Mr. Askew," said Lafe. might put a question to you without giving offense?"
 "You may, Connell."
 ''Tm only saying what everybody's saying in St. Boniface, and that Is about your cutting Rrousseau out with Mademoiselle Rosny."
 "I guess it's true. Lafe." said Hilary. "Lafe. she's-well, you understand"
 "I guess I do," said Lafe. He stretched out a sinewy hand and gripped Hilary's warmly. "I wish Clarice-my wife-could meet you." he said.
 "I hope she will, Lafe. some day. But now about Brousseau."
 ''I asked you that" said Lafe, "be- cause there's lot hangs on it. Now as to Louis-he wouldn't swear. If he did swear. he'd swear that he'd been lying as soon as Brousseau slipped him a ten-dollar bill. No, sir, it won't do. We've got to get the fox right into the trap before we spring it."
 'T'm afraid I am no hand at spring ing traps, Lafe."
 "No. But we've got to give him rope enough to hang himself. We don't want to go off at half-cock. That's plainer, ain't it? My advice is as be- fore; lie low. You see. sir, when a man schemes and schemes and plans his crooked work, all that he's doing is to twist the rope tighter round his own neck. We've got him now, but we must get the moose tight, so that he won't wriggle out of 1t. And he'll twist it tight next time he wriggles. That's my idea, MT. Askew."
 ''I guess you're right as usual Lafe," answered Hilary. 'But I've been ly- ing low a laundering long time."
 No more was said upon the subject. Out in the Gulf the choppiness of the waves had changed to steady sweep toward the island, which, lying in mid stream, received and broke the full force of the daily tides. The wind aided them. and they swept through the water. Hilary watched the near ing land with interest that deepened as he began to make out the luxurious growth of conifers that covered it al- most to the seas verge. .
 In the center he could now make out ridge of low hills. which seemed to ascend to terminal cliff, having on one side gentle slope and, on the the water.
 "There ought to be- some fine cut ting there for us some day." said Hilary. "Helloi Whats that?'
 Somebody has got there before us." said Connell
 A boat came into view, a little fish, ing sloop, much like DuvaPs, beached On the shore. the sails down, the bow high above high water.
 ''That boat belongs to Jacques Brousseau." said Louis. pointing to- ward it.
 "What's he doing, on my limits. wonder" unused Hilary.
 'I guess he's making this his winter quarters. He's trapped the seigniory so long that he thinks it's his terri tory"
 They grounded. Duval, leaping ashore, brought the bow round above the water level. Lafe and Hilary stepped out and stretched their cramp- ed limbs.
 The wind blew keenly but, once un- der the shelter of the islend, they found it warm autumn weather. Leaving Louis stretched out in the boat, under a tarpaulin, Lafe and Hil- ary started up the sloping beach toward the interior. The first thing that they noticed as peculiar, when they had passed the outer fringe of trees. was the existence of a well-defined trail. They stopped and looked at it.
 Do you suppose old Jacques made all thatr asked Lafe.
 Too wide.''
 And too hard. MT. Askew. This has been stamped out this summer, And Jacques has only been here week, at most"
 ''Then-Y' asked Hilary.
 Somebody else has been on the island all summer, or at least most of the summer Maybe two or three of them. It looks like It."
 The trail had disappeared. They were now scrambling up a gulley be- tween great rocks that lowered on either side of them. At the top of the elevation appeared the point of the island, and the face of the great cliff, cleft into numerous Assures, some widening into small caves.
 Suddenly Lafe gripped Hilary's arm and pointed. Through the scrub they could see Jacques Brousseau coming out of an aperture in the cliff, a deep but narrow cleft that opened toward the base into a wide recess.
 Jacques saw them at the same time and stood motionless. As Lafe and Hilary advanced he seemed to be gail vanized into life. He rushed toward them, screaming, his face convulsed with fury.
 Hilary cast his eyes about to ascer- tain the cause of the old mans fury. | He saw, near the caves mouth, a urge slab of granite, and heavy hammer lying beside it.
 "Let's see what he's got there" he said. "It doesn't look like traps to me-