The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-05-01

face next day with only one thing &C.
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 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.
"I'm glad you've come" he said, as
they drove to the mill together.
Things were pretty bad on Saturday
night"
They're striking"
mo, Mr.. Askew. That's the bright
est point In the situation. Macpherson,
the foreman, tells me that it's called
off. BrouSseau's dropped that maneu-
yer, for some reason Of his own"
"What's the trouble, thenT'
II 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 a four-day
week. The men are oE'v just SOLDERING
up now.
However, that amt the worst, by
long sight. It's sort of open secret
that they're going to open up st. Boni-
face wide, and SimeOn's-"
"Y0u mean Simeon has dared to
start one of his bells here while was
away?" cried Hilary angrily.
"NOt yet" said LATE. There amt
no more liquor being sold here than
usual-yet. But they're going to open
up if they can. Simeon's brother Louis
has rented that house by the old sta
bles that Jean Baptiste used to occupy
last year before it began to go to
pieces, and he's going to have dance
hall there and sell brandy"
Hilary raped out an oath. mot if
l have anything to say" he answered.
"NOr me-" said LATE. "The trouble
is, where do we start in2 We can't
fight the whole town single-handed. I
was wondering whether we couldn't
wire the revenue people"
moi" said Hilary sharply. "Well
fight our own battles, Lafe."
LATE subsidized In a hurt sort of way.
The evidences of decentralization were
obvious in st. Boniface. The men were
slow and Surly, the women sullen,
slatternly and hopeless-looking. 1t was
clear that they had little hope Hilary
could counter this new project. Hill
airy was aware Of feeling in the air,
as If he was being tested. He saw
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
attitude toward the Duval proposal
was discounted beforehand.
Hilary had kept In his mind plan
Of cutting along the bank of the river,
without waiting for the snow. It SEEM
ed to him a feasible plan to fell right
beside the water, and float the logs
down, this requiring no teams to haul,
a process impossible until the snow
was deep. On the Saturday he went
out afoot to survey the timber in the
upper reaches. In order to get clear
er view, Hilary took the public road
that ran along the eastern bank, with
In the Ste. Marie limits, and assembled
to an elevation opposite the low-lying
tract on the west side.
he had nearly reached the branch
road which ran In toward Ste. Marie,
along which LATE and he had driven on
that first morning, when he perceived
Madeleine Rosny and Brousseau ahead
of him, at the top Of the rise. They
I'seemed to be talking earnestly, and
Hilary held back, unwilling to surprise
them. Presently he saw Brousseau
spur his horse and gallop away in the
direction of Ste. Marie, while Made
leine came slowly toward him.
She saw him and turned her horse
aside to let him pass. She had been
crying, and there were traces of tears
still on her cheeks. She would have
waited for him to go by, her face
averted, but Hilary placed his hand
upon the horses bride.
'Mademoiselle Rosny--" he began.
'Let me go on" she said in a low
| tone.
II want to speak to you. And if
you are in trouble | want to help
you"
She smiled YEARLY. 81 am not in
| trouble, and if I were I should hardly
ask your aid, Monsieur Askew," she
answered. Then, with sudden We
hemence, "Why did you come here?
she cried. "Why could you not have
left St Bonlface alone, instead Of stir
ring up hatred? Is it not enough that
my father should have been compelled
to sell your uncle our trees, without
your coming here to exuit over our
shame?"
81 have not exulted, Mademoiselle
RoSny; / am sorry"
"Take back your pity. We don't
want it. What has Monsieur Brous-
| 1900 lo.,o ~ x,o,,-or Mr. kIorric 81