The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1920-06-24

Maybe / am" said LATE ~stubbornly,
"But | amt going 10 see your happi.
ness wrecked because W women
haven't the sense and the heart to
clear you. And I'm going to do It,"
"No, you're not, Lafe," said Hilary
bluntly.
"Why not? Good Lord, why notT'
Because I'm leaving st. B~oniface,"
answered Hilary.
"Mr. Askewl"
"Tm going" repeated Hilary, with a
swift gesture of hopelessness. You'll
call me Il gutter. / suppose"
81 certainly should" answered LATE
coolly. 'The same as you did me-"
Maybe. But / came up here TO
play a certain game. ] came to put
the seigniory lumber business on its
legs. And I've done il. / stayed TO
fight Brousseau after he nearly got me
down, and I've beaten him. I've won
that game on every point. I'm going
to make Brousseau refund his steal
ings, and I'm going TO leave you here
in charge for the present, to wind up.
l shall go TO Quebec To start proceed
ings and try TO find a purchaser. Your
contract will hold as long as you want
IL to. And Tia not coming back. I've
done what | came for, haven't ~ he
ended defiantiy.
That's the way all cutters talk"
said LATE.
Hilary's nerves were gone. Of course.
LATE knew that the last lap Of the
rae was the g-ueling one. Hilary need
ed help, thar was all. Lafe grew
crafty with he idea.
"Well, you're boss, OF course" he
said Reluctantly. "If you've made up
your mind, IL amt for me to interfere.
When are you leaving, sir?"
II shall go out with Dupont when he
takes his Last load" answered Hilary.
'Thatm be Friday. We can't have
the logs through the mill before then.
Dupont doesn't know YETI"
mo"
LATE reflected. The weather had
changed suddenly during the preceding
night. Already the shores Of the st.
Lawrence were thick with grinding
foes. The middle passage was clear,
but in d few days navigation would be
impossible; a dog team would have to
gether. Already It was a difficult jour
ney with a horse-sleigh between the
camp aud the mill. II the weather
held, Hilary could be held until he.
Lafe. had accomplished his purpose.
Hilary put on his hat and overcoat,
picked up his snowshoes and went to-
ward the stables. In a few minutes
the horse had been harnessed to the
sleigh and stood breathing great
clouds Of smoke into the frosty air.
1t started, and from the Office door
way Lafe watched the man whom he
loved best In the world of men driving
away.
He waited till the sleigh had disap.
peared among the trees behind the
bridge. He allowed ten minutes more,
to make sure that Hilary would not
change his intentions and return. Thcu
he coolly opened Hilary's desk with a
duplicate key that had been made
after the burglary and took out the en-.
velope that contained the papers from
Morris. He removed these and thrus,
them into his pocket. In the empty
envelope he placed some discarded let
tiers from the waste-basket. Then he
put back the envelope, closed the desk
strapped OF his snowshoes and left
the Office.
Five minutes after he left Hilary wal
back. His decision had suddenly come
! to him. He had resolved to leave st
Boniface. and there was nothing to be
gained by procrastinatioB.
He wanted to leave st. Bonifacs
forever, and to put the memory of the
past mouths put of his mind. so far as
1t could be possible. He hated the lit
tie village; even Lafe's presence hac
become intolerable to him.
He went to Dupont on board hi.
schooner and arranged for him to sal
for Quebec the following evening witt
| the little load-one schooner full
which he had. He instructed him {,
say nothing to anybody about the ar
rahgement. He say nothing strang,
In Dupont's manner OF aspect and, ha,
he done SO. he would not have though
anything about Ii.
Having issued his instructions, h,
drove back toward the camp.
But. seeing that the Office was darl
and ~unoccupied, he stopped there OF
his way. opened his desk and took GU
the envelope which he supposed 4
contain the letter and paper from Nor
ris. In Quebec he meant to go througI
them again. mailing to Rosny thos
papers that had reference to his al
fairs ana placing the others in q Law
yer's hands for u civil suit.
He packed q few of his personal ei
fects In a bag and left the Office. as h
supposed for the last time.