Elbert County tribune and Elbert County banner., 1920-06-11
CHAPTER XIII.
The island.


Lafe and Hilary started for the is
land at one o'clock. They planned to
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.
"If Louis will swear to what he in
formed me-" he said, "it means that
We can clap Brousseau into jail 9th
srwise he'll never give up his schemes
against me. because he has personal
grievance"
"Mr. Askew," said Lafe. might
put a question to you without giving
offensef"
.'You may. ConneI."
"s'm only saying what eyerybody's
saying in st. Boniface. and that is
about your cutting Brousseau out with
Mademoiselle Rosny."
"T guess It's true. Lafe." said Hilary.
"Lafe. she's-well. you understand"
az guess I do" said Lafe. He
stretched out sinewy hand and
gripped Hiiary's warmly. 81 wish
said
81 hope she will, Lafe. some day.
But now about Brousseau."
81 asked you that" said Lafe. 'be-
cause there's a lot hangs on 1t. 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.
II Won't do. We've got to get the fox
right into the trap before we spring
IT,"
Pm afraid am no hand at spring
Ing traps. Lafe.''
mo. But we've got to give him rope
enough to hang himself. We don't
want to go off at half-cock. That's
palmer. ain't it2 My advice is as be-
fore; lie low. You see. sir, wher
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 1t tight next time he wrigelas.
That's my idea, Mr.. Askew"
''I guess you're right as usual Lafe."
answered Hilary. "Snt I've been IT,
Ing low laundering long time"
No more was said upon the subject.
Out In tba Gulf the choppiness of the
waves Lad changed to a steady sweep
toward the island. which, lying in mid
cream. received and broke the full
force Of the daily tides. The wind
aided them. and they swept through
the water. Hilary watched the near
ting land with interest that deepened
a. he began to make out the luxurious
growth Of conifers that covered 1t al
most to the seas verge
In the center he could now make
out ridge of low hills. which seemed
to ascend to a terminal cliff, having
on one side gentle slope and, ON the
other. a precipitous descent toward
the water.
There ought to be some fine cut
ting there for US some day." said
Hilary. "Helloi What's that7"
Somebody has got there before u.s."
said Connell.
bont came into view. little fish
Ing sloop, much like Duval's, beached
on tho shore, the sails down, the bow
hiRh above high water.
"That boat belongs to Jacques
Brousseau." said Louis, pointing to-
ward it.
whats he doing on my limits.
WONDER" mused Hilary.
II 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
A,hore. 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-
lcr the shelter of the island, they
found 1t warm autumn weather.
Leaving Louis stretched out in the
boat, under a tarpaulin, Lafe and Hill
ary started up the sioping 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 well-defined trail.
They stopped and looked at 1t.
do you suppose old Jacques made
all that7" asked Lafe.
TOO wide"
"And too hard, Mr.. Askew This
has been stamped out this summer.
And Jacques has only been here a
week. at most"
'rhen-7" asked Hilary.
Somebody else has been on the
isaand all summer. or at least most of
the summer. Maybe two or three of
them. 1t 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