The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1912-12-05
ARISH, La, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 5, 1912.

The Virgin be praised. but that IS |
luckr' he exclaimed. "'They have turn
ed of into another trail to the east. |
m'seur."
Rowland had broken the breech of |
his revolver and was replacing the
three empty cartridges With fresh ones
'"There will be no mistake next
time" he said. holding out the weap-
on. You were as near your death u
few moments ago as ever before In
your life. Croisset-and now for a lit
tie plain understanding between US.
Until we stopped out there | had some
faith In you Now | have none. re-
gard you as my worst enemy. and.
though you are deuced near to your
friends. tell you that you We're never
In tighter box in your life II ! fail
In my mission here you shall die. II
others come along that trail before
dark and RIM US down | will kill you
| Unless you make II possible for me to
see and talk With Meieese | will kill
| you.S Your life hangs m my success.
IT am glad that you changed your
| y
again will do the best that ! can"
said Jean Within an hour il will be
showing heavily" he affirmed III
they do not run across our trail By
| that time m'seur. we shall he safe"
He led the way through the forest
again. more slowly and with greater
caution than before Half an hour
later the Frenchman Matted where the
banskians climbed the side of A slop-
ing ridge
eff you could trust me would ask
to go on ahead" whisr,.rpd Jean
''This ridge shuts in the plain, :n'seur.
and Just over the top Of 1t is an old
cabin which has heen abandoned for
many years. There Is not one chance
in thousand of there being any one
there. though it is a good fox ridge at
this season From II you may see the
light in Meleese's window at night"
He did not stop to watch the effect
of his last words. but began picking
his way up the ridge with the dogs
tugging at his heels. ii the top he
swung sharply between TIVE huge
masses of snow covered rock. and IN
, the lee of the largest Of these. almost
entirely sheltered from the drifts pilea
up by easterly winds, they came sud
denly on a small log hut.
Mon Dieu. so far | have saved N,
g hide" he grinned Now, mseur. lool
: for yourself and see if Jean CROSSE
: has not kept his word"
o A dozen steps had taken him throug!
q screen of shrub to the opposite Stop
: Of the ridge. With outstretched arm
he pointed down into the plain, an
as Howland's eyes followed it, diret
ton he stood throbbing with Sudoe
2 excitement. Less than a quarter OF
4 mile away. sheltered in a dip Of th
I plain. were three or four log built
. ings rising black and desolate out Q
4 the white waste One Of these builG
!. ings was a large structure simila
Z to that in which Howand had bee
: imprisoned, and as he looked teal
and, sledge appeared from behind OIL
:. Of the cabins and halted close to tt
4 wall Of the large building. The drive
: was plainly visible. and to Howland
astonishment he suddenly began
! ascend the side Of this wall. For tt
moment Howland had not thought
: a stair.
Jeans attitude drew his eyes III
% Frenchman had thrust himself ha
ia out of the screening bushes and ";
. staring through the telescope Of b
% hands. With an exclamation he fur
Il ed quickly to the engineer
Look. m'seur. Do you see that m;
.. climbing the stair? don't mind te
ing you that he is the one who hit y
IL over the head on The trail and a.!
one Of those who shut you mp in I
- coyote Those are his quarters at t
:, post, and possibly he is going mp
IA see MeIeese If you were much Of
: shot you could settle score or t,
- from here m'seur."
e The figure had stopped. evidently
\. q platform midway up the side Of t
building He stood for moment as
10 scanning the plain between him
= the mountain, then disappeared Ho
~ land had not spoken word. but !
ha cry nerve in his body fingled strange
"a "Yon say Meleeseis there?'
An questioned hesitatingly And h
- who is that man. Croisset?'
- Jean shrugged his shoulders a
- drew himself back into the bush. tn
ing leisurely toward the old cabin.
:. Mon. m'seur. will not tell )
"a that" he protested Il have bron'
oh you to this place ! have pointed I
aa to you the stair that leads TO the 70
where yon will find MeIeese You n
,oa cut me into ribbons for the ravens.
4 ] will tell you no more.''
orc Again the threatening fire ieaped I
M Howland's eyes
: II will trouble you to put your hal
ore behind your back Croisset. he cf
,aa manded Il am going to return {
tain compliment Of yours by ty
your hands with this piece OF habee
.r,. which you used on me. After that
And after that. m'seur'' nr
on Jean. with touch of the old tann'
/ his voice and stopping with his b
Vii | to the engineer ana MS HiDHS heH
,on him After that?"
"You will tell me all that ! wan
tho know" finished Rowland. tighter
the thong about his wrists
his He led the way then to the ca
the The door was cioseh. ou' oleiicu 'e
hx " as he put his weight against It
tho single room was lighted by win
,ick through which a mass Of snow
,ze,, drifted and contained nothing n
oen tnan rhoe taDie o'i'' dsa'hs' o''