American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1920-02-28


stop It," said Hilary. you knew you
were not supposed TO cut there"
"Ain't got right to cut on my own
lease?" demanded the jobber trucu- |
lently.
Maybe you have, but anyway you
aren't going to cut round the Chateau"
"You think so?" asked Leblanc in
solently. "All right. You find another
boss Jobber. Maybe you find one In
September what couldn't get job
for next winter. you are so clever.
don't know. For me, go to work for
Monsieur Morris at ste. Marie"
$50 that's your game. Leblanc
How about that contract"
THAT'S all right. But II ] don't pay
on January first. the contract Is no
good. That was your words, which
you wrote down. Well, I keep the
lease II you like, Monsieur Askew, an
I cut where I like, or l don't pay one
cent An these men say they go wher-
ever l go. They won't work for ycu
If 20, because you thrash Black
Pierre. They amt dogs, they're men,
an they got families. They don't
stand for no beating with fists. Ma
be you change your mind aboul
cutting?"
eco to the devil I" shouted Hilary.
"Moybe you like To beat these men
now. eh?" sneered Leblanc. "No?
All right. You ind other boss jobber
Monsieur Askew."
lie clapped on his hat, and, as IL
they had rchearsed the scene, the four
rufians followed Leblanc In solemn
and triumphant parade across the
floor and out of the Office.
This was first blood with a ven
gcance. Leblanc's lease was neces-
sity; 1t meant money, and money Just
when his capital would he exhausted.
II was essential to suitcase the tract
To some one else. But there was no
one in ST. Bonlface capable of assum-
ing charge of such a contract. The
habitants had no heads for business
and no money 10 invest. All that was
paid out In wages flowed back to
the store. owned by the Ste. Marie
| company, and to the ste. Marie sa-
looms. Ste. Marie was bleeding st.
Boniface white In every way.
Filled with resentment, Hilary coun-
| fernandez the order for the rig and
walked up by the mill. His nerves
were raw and quivering as he reached
the end of the strip of land where
Rocky river pours into the gulf be-
| low. The whistle blew, and he turned
| toward st. Boniface and stopped,
watching the mob of men emerging
from the mill.
How far could he count on them?
allys Their jobs would hold them to
him in spite of Brousseau, just so long
as their wages were forthcoming
Probably nine-tenths of them resent
ed his presence In their country. His
victory over Black Pierre had raised
him In their estimation they might
hate him instead of despising him. but
devotion and falthfulness OF perhaps
one man besides LATE Connell-littl,
Baptiste.
I The gang was hard at work below
the dam. strengthening the structur,
of the boom. Riviere ROcheuse, pour
ing down from the foothills of tn,
Laurentlans, speeds with great fore,
through the gorge above st. Boniface
widens opposite the settlement, and
gathering its waters there, shoot!
straight as dart over the broker
cliff into the gulf.
II, when the jam was broken, thu
pressure of the great mass of log
proved too strong for the boom, In
stead of passing into the fume the!
would pour over the cataract into tn,
st. Lawrence. where their retrieva
would be impossible. Such an acct
dent had happened on small seal
once before. If II should happen nov
the loss would end all IIllary's hopes
He was glad Baptlste had seen this
Hilary searched for the figure of tn
little timekeepcr and general utilit,
man, but failed to find It,
He assembled the hill beside the rush
ing cataract. He was crossing tn
waste land where the logs and I'll
cans were strewn when he saw Jean
Marie. The little man was engaged Il
earnest conversation with Blac
Pierre behind a she'd Black Pierr
seemed to be protesting vigorously.
The presence Of the man beside Bar
tlste came to Hilary with shocl
Without changing his pace he I'd
: vanced toward them, in his mind re
peating Lafe's advice over and over.
He was still inwardly qulverlng, ye
|, trying to appear unconcerned, whe
= the two perceived him. Pierre turne
toward him with a scowl on hi
y bruised face. His eyes were blacf
( ened, and he looked the incarnation q
: malignancy.
He spoke to Baptiste quickly, and {
Hllary's surprise Baptiste, without az
knowledging his presence, wake
+ slowly away with him. Baptlste'
y sudden departure puzzled Hilary
good deal nj the time, and much NOR
| ri