Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-02-27

ciently terrifying. But II was plain
that the smuggler expected that they
were leabing at him to set their teeth
In his flesh. He was screaming in
mad fright.
He curved his arms before his face.
He kicked wildly. But the dogs yelled
and leaped and drove themselves
against him, pounding him against
the wall, spattering his convulsed face
with froth and spume from their slav.
ering jaws.
Blais endured the astounding scene
for moment and then sprang over
the swirling mass of dogs and dashed
out a window with his foot.
They're mad!" he screamed.
There were several other men in
the room, and they followed Blais
when he threw himself out of the win.
dow. Others yelled the frantic warn.
ing that the dogs were mad. That
fear routed Roi's supporters more eff.
fectually than clubs and rifles would
have done. The mortal, terror of men
who were menaced by hideous peril
drove them.
you are cowards-you are all COW.
ads!" vociferated Vetal his own fears
giving him the sudden, fictitious cour-
age which weak men show when they
are at bay. He released his daughters
wrists. Aldrich had leaped in their
direction.
Roi could not escape The dogs kept
battering him against the wall.
You have no right" shrieked We.
tai; but the furious young lover was
in no mood to argue over again with
Vetal Beaulieu that matter of rights.
ITO my horse! Quick. To my
horse!" Aldrich thrust the girl on her
way even as he spoke. IN follow"
The next moment, using his rifle as
he would handle a batstick, he struck
the lantern and sent 1t whirling from
a table through the open window. In
ing of the dogs was more awful. more
stupefylng. The noise in those close
quarters fairly made the brain reel.
The flabby publican clutched the of.
| ficer in the darkness.
Here he is, Dave! have him! Kill
him!"
Time was precious. Only seconds
had elapsed. The surprise had been
complete and effective. The conspira
tors were in confusion for the mo-
ment. Aldrich realized that he must
not delay then, even for the sake OF
satisfying his very natural inclination
to square his score with David Roi
But when Roi came dashing forward
at last, Tending off the dogs, striving
to reach the door, Aldrich, though tn,
gloom was like pail, sensed the prox
unity of his hated foe. He threw Veta
off, and the next moment felt tina
sweet satisfaction which goes back t.
those primitive days when the mind Of
man was not acute enough to win it.
comfort from mere moral victories
| Ilt ltll HIS lldhNu liSl dSdllSl lllt llGSI
Of the scoundrel who had tried to stea
q woman, and he heard the scoundrel.
body go down in a coner of the room
and then he decided that his business
in that locality did not require an,
more Of his personal attention.
His duty lay outside that room!
His arms ached to hold her, to llf
her to his breast. He wanted to max
sure of her. After the agony Of hi
fears for her safety, only the assui
ance that she was held against hi
breast would satisfy him. Such wa
the impulse that sent him racing bacl
into the night outside.
The man beside the stoop was rol
ing and moaning. He was surely ou
of the fight; but above the din of tn
, dogs Aldrich could hear the voice @
, Blais in the rear of the house, rail-!
ing those who had escaped with hir
through the window.
The lover realized that a conven
bred girl, even though she were gil
, Of the border, must lack the experienc
. as a horsewoman that would be neede
@ in that crisis.
! She was waiting for him beside h
S panting horse. The poor brute ha
e performed his full task for that nigh
S Among the three horses picketed
:. the ward his quick eye singled I'll
S sturdy horse which Roi rode up an
r down the border. He ran and nun
d himself upon the animal and leane
/. and loosed the others. They had bee
e rearing and neighing in fright eve
n since the advent Of the hounds. The
9 AID not need the kicks and yells !
/. gave them.