The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-04-17

man of great muscular power. The
two looked up as the buggy APP
preached, and the short man scOwled.
This is Mr.. Leblanc" said LATE.
"Mr. Leblanc, this is Mr.. Askew. the
owner"
Leblanc put out his hand Imply, but
Hilary, nettled by his manner, did not
take it.
MIR. Leblanc is clearing a camp for
his next years lease" continued LATE.
But the lease is not signed?" asked
Hilary.
1T will be signed in October" an
swered Leblanc. 81 have arrange
with Monsieur Morris"
You'll make your arrangements
with me in future" said Hilary. IF
the price is satisfactory, you can have
this tract.
Leblanc stared at him insolently
with his good eye, the other fixing a
tree on Hilary's right 81 work for
Mr.. Morris. make arrange with him"
he answered.
"See here, Leblanc, you didn't catch
who this gentleman is" said LATE.
This is Mr.. Askew, the nephew Of
the late Mr.. Askew. He has come into
the property He's boss. You get me,
don't you, Leblanc"
Leblanc shrugged his shoulders.
"Oh, yes, l understand" he answered,
and, turning without another word,
walked back toward the lumbermen,
accompanied by the short man, who
was chuckling mallciously at Hilary's
discontinue.
Hilary flushed, but LATE laid his
hand on his wrist, closing the fingers
about it with a viselike grip.
STEADY, Mr.. ASkew. Don't let those
fellows get you riled," he said. ST
you're coming into this game it means
steady work. You've got to hold back
and hold back, until you've got things
ready"
They re-entered the buggy and, turn
ing the horse, drove back.
| Presently Hilary cooled down. "WhC
was the little MANI" he asked.
"That's Pierre something-or-other
Black Pierre, he's called. He's Brous
seau's chief crook. He's q trouble
some man, Mr.. Hilary. He'll bea
watching"
"Wen fire him first thing" said Hill
airy.
"Why, he amt hired by u.s." an
swered LATE.
"Then what in thunder is he doln
on my concession, talking to my chic
jObber?"
"Well, there amt no law agains
it," said LATE, with a humorous loo
on his face. 81 guess them two ar
pretty thick together.
'You see, Mr.. Askew, it's this way,
he went on. 'If you're going to clea
up this mess, it amt bit of goo
going for the little fellows. Theyr
the tail that Brousseau wags. Ono
{ you get Brousseau's hand out of you
pie, the others follow him. Whe
). Pierre sees there amt no more picl
r ings out of the st. Boniface land he
| 20 back to the smuggling business"
: "Brandy-smuggling"
"Why, he's the bad man of Ste. MI
+ rie. He runs cargoes of gin and brand
S ashore from the south coast, an
e there's never been a revenue officer
this district within human memory, nj
:. would one dare to show his face her
u Say, I'll take you through Ste. Mar
y on the way back to the mill F"
They had reached the main roe
= again; they went on little way al
S then turned westward over a rOut
= track through a burned-oyer distri
a densely covered with fireweed al
white starved asters. Soon anoth
a rig appeared before them, topping Il
e hill. LATE pulled in as it approache
?, "Bonjour, Father Lucy" he CALI
to the elderly priest, who sat insid
!" "This gentleman is Mr.. Askew, the ne
v, owner of the Rosny concession. He
Is old Mr.. Askew's nephew"
o The cure looked Hilary over, thu
,r he leaned forward and extended /
d hand, which Hilary grasped.
IS 81 am please to meet you, Mr. A
IS kew" he said. 81 'ope we shall l
n come friens, like Mr.. LATE here, an \
W quarrel so much"
# "Ah, Father Lucy, you make me tir
Or sometimes" said LATE. "What in thu
der's the use of praying for rain VIII
e, the forests are burning, instead
~ getting busy and putting out the fire
ID "Mr. LATE, there is many thing y
n, do not understand" said the cure, p
lie ting the Yankee on the shoulder
OF nevolently. mir. LATE is fine fellow
ne he added to Hilary, 'but he want to
Id too quick all the time"
1t was evident to Hilary that
he two were fast friends. Father Luci
e. CLICKED to his pony, took off his |
Ill with a flourish, and resumed his jo
IS ney.
lie Father Lucy's a good Sort" m
lie tered LATE, "but he makes me til
lg, sometimes. Slow as the devil,
de Askew. And yet, now come to TIL
,le of it, he does get results in his o
lg. time. He amt equal to cleaning
I'm Ste. Marie, though"
After a pause he added: "Sol
times I've thought that Father Il
had something up his sleeve about s
he Marie after ALL"