The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-05-06

brother Louis boast of Brousseau's
protection, and they are dangerous
men,"
"You have my promise" said Hilary.
"that they shall not sell liquor In st.
Boniface. And by heaven I'll smash
any man who tries to corrupt my peo-
plei /" he added, with a vehemence that
surprised himself.
Hilary slept poorly that night. Trou-
BILE seemed to be t%hickening about him.
Had he, indeed, the power to handle
these wild people whose very tongue
he could hardly understand
Then, out OF the darkness. there
rose, in vivid portrayal, the face of
Madeleine Rosny. He admitted now
how much she meant to him, enough
to make any venture worth the while.
He thought of their last meetings and
In spite of 1t ne dared to dream Of "a
happier one to come.
Before he fell asleep he had decided
to go to Quebec and try to secure
some jobber to take over Leblanc's
lease. At the same time he would
look up the land records and get. an
accurate idea of the extent Of the
Rosny seigniory.
Characteristically, he put his plan
into practice two days later. when the
down boat arrived. instructing Lafe to
hold up the dynamiting till his return.
Lafe saw him off, and he had hardly
arrived on board before discovering
that Morris had embarked at Ste.
Marie. Hilary suspected him of hav-
Ing learned of his plan and spying on
him. The two men eyed each other.
but did not speak.
Hilary put up at the Frontenac and,
having business with the customs office
with reference to a shipment of ma
chinery, a small matter requiring a re-
fund, he called there, and was disgust
ed to see Morris coming out Of the rev-
enue department In conversation with
the assistant chief.
He failed entirely In his attempts to
get a jobber to suitcase Leblanc's
tract. There were plenty of small men
willing to do SO on the installment sys-
TEN. but none willing to risk an imme-
date investment on a territory with
such a reputation as st. Bopiface had
unjustly acquired.
Hilary knew he had to thank Morris
for that. He returned to st. Boni-
face next day with only one thing ac-
complished. He had seen the land map
and ascertained that the upper reaches
Of Rocky river had been surveyed and
that the creek was wholly on his own
land. He found, too, with some sur
prise, that q large island out In the
Gulf was part of the Rosny domain.
1t had not appeared on Morris rough
map.
LATE. who met him at the wharf,
looked worried.
"Tm glad you've come" he said, as
they drove to the mill together.
Things were pretty bad on Saturday
night"
They're striking7"
mo, Mr.. Askew. That's the bright
est point In the situation. MACPHERSON.
the foreman, tells me that it's called
of. Brousseau's dropped that maneu-
yer, for some reason of his own"
"What's the trouble, then?'
81 guess Brousseau's off on another
tack, Mr.. Askew. All the hands was
over to Ste. Marie on Saturday night
by special invitation from Simeon Du-
val. who owns the biggest dance hall
there. There was free drinks for every
body, and the whole place was in an
uproar till Sunday morning. Not a
stroke Of work has been done here till
yesterday, which means q four-day
week. The men are only just SOLDERING
| up now.
However. that amt the worst. by a
long sight. It's a sort Of open secret
that they're going to open up st. Boni-
face wide. and Simeon's-"
"You mean Simeon has dared to
start n of hts hells here while I was
awayY' cried Hilary angrily.
"Not yet" said Lafe. There amt
no o liquor being sold here than
usuaF-yet. But they're going to open
Up X they . :. S!mccn's brother Louis
huo kcutcu Niht uOuSc W uic Ofu STA
bles that Jean faptiste used to occupy
last year before IT begun to go to
pieces, and he's going to have q dance
hail there and sell brandy.
Hilary raped out an oath. "Not If
! have anything to say he answered.
Nor me-" said LATE. "The trouble
Is, where do we start inf We can't
fight the whole town single-handed. I
was wondering whether we couldn't
wire the evenue people"
"Noi~ said Hilary sharply. "WeM
light our W battles, Lafe."
Lafe subsidized In a hurt sort of way.
The evidences OF decentralization were
obvious in st. Boniface. The men were
slow and suriy. the women sullen,
s%latternly and hopeless-looking. 1t was
clear that they had little hope Hilary
could counter this new project. Hill
airy was aware Of a feeling In the air.
as II he was being tested. He say
furtive glances as he went by, he rec
ognized reluctance In the sullen touch
Of the cap and the unsmiling faces.
while NOT hostile, watched him with
something like resentment. as If his
.kkx $3.50 49, -~----r