The Belding banner-news. (Belding, Mich.) 1918-1973, 1920-06-30
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"The owner Of the ChateauY asked
Hilary, although he knew this per
fectly.
"Yes, Mr.. Askew. I guess she
wouldn't have smiled 50 pleasant Il
she had known who you was"
"Why. Mr.. Connellf"
Lafe jerked his thumb vaguely about
the horizon. proud old boy" he ex-
planned. "Family's been here nigh on
thousand years. I guess-leastways.
since them Frenchmen first came to
this continent. Hated like thunder to
sell out to your uncle. But ! guess
he was land poor. like the rest of them.
and Mamzelle Madeleine must have
cost him a mint of money finishing up
In the convent at Paris. France"
Hilary turned this over In his mind
as they continued their walk along the
cliff and then down the road to the
hotel. The idea of any personal Ill
feeling on the Seigneur's part or on
that Of his family had not occurred to
him. Though he did not expect to
meet Monsieur Rosny. except possibly
In the course Of his business. he was
conscious Of a feeling Of regret, and
also of a half-formed resolution. the
nature Of which he would not admit,
to put relations upon pleasant foot
Ing.
In the hotel the landlords wife was
already preparing supper. They ate
an omelet, washed down with strong
tea and followed by raspberries and
cream. Then they went out on the
porch and Lit their pipes.
"You are the foreman, under
stand?" asked Hilary.
Eyes, Mr.. Askew. / took the job
soon after your uncle bought the tim
Der rights. I'd been up here for the
Shoeburyport Gazette, which was look
ing for a pulp supply. Mr.. Morris Of.
fered me the job, and took 1t. And
I've been sorry ever since"
"Why?'
"It's b of country" answered
Lafe frankly. 81 never guessed sucs
folks existed in civilized land be-
fore. Now you take Dutchman or a
Dago-their ways amt our ways, but
| they're. more or less human. These
| people amt They paint their houses
| yellow and green, when they paint 'em
at all. j never saw a yellow house
with green porch in my life till
/ come up here"
"Just difference Of taste, Mr.. Con-
nell"
Maybe" said LATE, splitting. "May-
be it's all right not TO have sense to
plaster their houses so as TO freeze to
death in winter time. Maybe it's all
right to run to Father Lucy when
there's a forest fire, instead of getting
TO work and putting II out. Maybe he
can pray 1t out for them. got nothing
against the place. except that my wife
Clarice and the kids are in Shoebury-
port. and I'd rather rot here alone than
bring 'em up. But what's the usef
I'm here and / got to stay here" he
ended. struggling his shoulders.
LATE was bad cross-quesiioner, and
the task put upon him by Brousseau
was not only uncongenial but impos-
sible for a man of his temperament.
However, he made a valiant attempt
to draw Hilary out. "You're thinking
Of spending some time here, Mr.. AS
kew" he asked.
'Pve come TO take charge. I'm going
to stay" said Hilary.
LATE looked at him curiously. What
sort of man could this be who chose
of his volItion to reside In st. Boni-
facel
Il guess you'll change your mind
when you've seen Il little longer" he
said incredulously.
ION the contrary. Mr.. Cohnell, ]
mean to take hold, and mean to make
II pay. 1t hasn't paid very well, 1 I'M
derstand?"
Lafe fioundered. "Tve heard II
don't pay as much as Il ought"
II understand that most Of the tim
Der Is below the size at which cutting
is allowed?" M
LATE stared at him. "Why, them
rules are for government landr' he
answered "You can cut any size on
freehold. The timber amt so bad
leastways. some of II amt"
Hilary began to think hard. On this
point Lamartine had clearly and def
nitely lied to him.
'Too much Ar on the property" he
asked. r M
"Why. there Is some FIR" conceded
LATE. "But there's some good spruce
along the Rocky river" he added
again oblivious of hissinstructions
Il saw a good pile in the river"
why. that ain't our cutting--not
much of It." said Lafe. 'Most Of that
comes from the ste. Marie iimits"
"Whers Is Ste. MarfeYs M
.Ste Marie's two miles along the
coast. beyond our settlement" said
Lafa Most of our hands come from
there. It's tough place, Mr.. Askew
seen some tough towns In the West
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