Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1902-07-07

spring.
81 have been waiting for this for
some time, Mr.. Graeme," he said, snil-
ing.
YES" replied Graeme. lever since /
spoiled your cutthroat game in Frisco.
How is the little one?" he added sar-
castically.
Idaho's face lost its smile and became
distorted with fury as he replied. spit
ting out his words:
"She-is-where you will be before l
am done with you"
"Ah, you murdered her too! You'll
hang some beautiful day, Idaho," said
Graeme as Idaho sprang upon him.
Graeme lodged his blow and caught
his forearm with his left hand and held
up high the murderous knife. Back
and forward they swayed over the
floor, slippery with whisky, the knife
held high in the air. | wondered why
Graeme did not strike, and then l saw
his right hand hung limp from the
wrist The men were crowding upon
the barricade. | was in despair.
Graeme's strength was going fast.
With a yell of eXultant fury Idaho
threw himself with all his weight upon
Graeme, who could only cling to him.
They swayed together toward me, but
as they fell brought down my bar
upon the appraised hand and sent the
knife flying across the room. Idaho's
howl of rage and pain was mingled
with a shout from below, and there,
dashing the crowd to right and left,
came old Nelson, followed by Abe, San
dy, Baptiste, Shaw and others. AS
they reached the barricade it crashed
down and, carrying me with it, pinned
me fast.
Looking out between the barrels, |
saw what froze my heart with horror.
In the fail Graeme had wound his
| arms about his enemy and held him
in a grip SO deadly that he could not
strike, bus GraemeS strength was fail
ing, and when l looked l saw that Ida
no was slowly dragging both across
! the slippery floor to where the knife
lay. Nearer and nearer his outstretch-
ed fingers came to the knife. In vain
l yelled and struggled. My voice was
lost in the awful din, and the barri-
cade held me fast. Above me, stand
ing on a barrel head, was Baptiste,
yelling like a demon. In vain | called
to him. My fingers could just reach
his foot, and he needed not at all my
touch. Slowly Idaho was dragging his
almost unconscious victim toward the
knife. His fingers were touching the
III in,
spiration, l pulled out my penknife,
opened it with my teeth and drove the
blade into Baptiste's foot. With a
bloodcurdling yell he sprang down and
began dancing round in his rage peer
ing among the barrels.
"Look! Lookr' l was calling in ago
ny and pointing. "For heavens sake,
look, Baptiste!'
The fingers had closed upon the knife,
the knife was already high in the air,
when, with a shrek, Baptiste cleared
the room at a bound, and before the
knife could fall the little Frenchman's
boot had caught the uplifted wrist and
sent the knife flying to the wall
Then there was a great rushing
sound as of wind through the forest,
and the lights went out. When
awoke, l found myself lying with my
head on Graeme's knees and Baptiste
sprinkling snow on my face. AS
looked up Graeme leaned over, and
smiling down into my eyes, he said:
"Good boy! 1t was great fight, and
we put it up WELL" And then he whis
pered, 81 owe you my life. my boy"
His words thrilled my heart through
|, and through, for l loved him as only
men can love men, but l only answer
ed:
81 could not keep them back"
at was well DONE" he said, and
, felt proud.
+ I confess I was thankful to be 81
, well out of it, for Graeme got off will
, a bone in his wrist broken and l will
a couple of ribs cracked, but had it no
I been for the open barrel of whisk.
q which kept them occupied for time
offering too good a chance to be lost
| and for the timely arrival Of Nelson
, neither of us had ever seen the ligh
y, again.
We found Craig sound asleep upol
his couch. His CONSERVATION on wax
ing to see us torn, bruised and bloody
was laughable, but he FASTENED to fine
us warm water and bandages, and We
soon felt comfortable.
Baptiste was radiant with pride an(
| delight over the fight and lowered
, about Graeme and me, giving vent t.
, his feelings in admiring French ant
English expletives But Abe was dis
gusted because of the failure at Sla
: wins, for when Nelson looked in he say
t Slavin's French Canadian wife il
/ charge, with her baby on her lap, ant
: he came back to Shaw and said, Com
: away; we can't touch this" and Shaw
: after looking in, agreed that nothing
< could be done. A baby held the fort.
As Craig listened to the account O