Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1902-06-05

out as they both went down.
l sprang to his place, but had not
much hope Of holding it long. | had
the heavy oak bar Of the door in my
hands. and, swinging it round my head
l made the crowd give back for few
moments.
| Meantime Graems had shaken off his
enemy, who was circing about him
upon his tiptoes, with a long knife in
his hand, waiting for a chance to
spring.
Il have been waiting for this for
some time, Mr.. Graeme," he said, smil-
ing.
YES" replied Graeme, "ever since
spoiled your cutthroat game in Frisco.
How is the little oneY" 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 I
am done with you"
"Ah, you murdered her too! You'll
hang some beautiful day, Idaho" said
Graeme as Idaho sprang upon him.
Graene 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. l wondered why
Graeme did not strike, and then saw
his right hand hung limp from the
wrist. The men were crowding upon
the barricade. l was in despair.
Graeme's strength was going fast
With 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 l 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 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 1t crashed
down and, carrying me with it, pinned
me fast.
| Looking out between the barrels,
saw what froze my heart with horror.
In the fall Graeme had wound his
arms about his enemy and held him
In grip so deadly that he could not
strike, but Graemes strength was fail
Ing, and when looked I 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
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 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
blade point when, under a sudden in
spiration, l pulled out my penknife,
opened ii with my teeth and drove the
blade into Baptiste's foot. With
bloodcurdling yell he sprang down and
began dancing round in his rage, peer
Ing among the barrels.
Look! Lookw was calling in ago
ny and pointing. "For heavens sake,
look. Baptiste9'
The fingers had closed upon the knife,
the knife was already high in the air,
when, with shrek. Baptiste cleared
the room at 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 n great rushing
sound as of wind through the forest,
and the lights went out. When l
awoke, I 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 a great fight, and
we put it up we'll" And then he whis-
pered, Il owe you my life, my boy"
His words thrilled my heart through
and through. for loved him as only
men can love men, but I only answer
ed:
81 could not keep them back"
at was well DONE" he said, and I
felt proud.
I confess I was thankful to be SO
well out of IT, for Graeme got off with
bone In his wrist broken and with
couple Of ribs cracked. but had 1t not
been for the open barrel of whisky
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 light
again.
We found Craig sound asleep upon
his couch. His CONSERVATION on wax
ing to see us torn, bruised and bloody
was laughable, but he FASTENED to find
us warm water and bandages and we
soon felt comfortable.
Baptiste was radiant with pride and
delight over the fight and lowered
about Graeme and me, giving vent to
his feelings in admiring French and
English explosives. But Abe was dis
gusted because of the failure at Sla-
wins for when Nelson looked in he saw
Slavin's French Canadian wife in
charge, with her baby on her lap, and
he came back to Shaw and said, Come
away; we cant touch this" and Shaw,
arter looking In, agreed that nothing
could be done. A baby held the fort.
AS Craig listened to the account Of