The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-08-28


movement, vet some change In the eX-
preston Of the mans eyes confront
ing him caused him to slightly turn MS
head so as TO vaguely perceive
shadow behind 1t was all so quickly,
silently done. he barely had time 10
throw up one hand in defense when
his arms were gripped as though Ill
wise and he was thrown backward 10
the floor, the chair crushed beneath MS
weight. Lacy fairly leaped on MS
PROSTATE body. forgetting his gun lying
on the table in the violence of hate, ms
hands clutching at the exposed throat.
For an instant Westcott was 50 daZed
and stunned by this sudden attack
from behind as to lie there prone ana
helpless fairly crushed beneath the
bodies Of his two antagonists.
1t was this that gave him MS chance,
for. convinced that he was unconscious.
both men slightly relaxed their grip,
thus giving him opportunity to regain
breath. and stiffen his muscles for
supreme effort With one laShing out
of a foot that sent Enright HURTING
against the farther wall he cracked
Lacy'S head against corner OF the
desk, and closed in deadly struggle
with the third man. whom he now rec
ognized as Beaton.
Before the latter could comprehend
what had happened the miner was on
ton. and Il clenched fist was driven INTO
his face with all the force of SlcdEe-
hammer. But barrOom fighting was no
novelty TO the gunman. nor had he any
Scruples as to ale methods employed.
With teeth sunk into his opponents
arm, and fingers gouging at his eyes,
the fellow struggled like a mad dog;
yet in spite of every effort to restrain
him, Westcott now filed with the
| fierce rage of battle, broke free, fairly
tearing himself from Benton'S deSper-
ate clutch, and pinnins him helplessiy
| against the wall
At the same instant Lacy, who had
regained his feet. leaped upon him
from behind, striking him with all his
| force. the violence of the blow, even
| though grazing one, driving the
miners heSd into the face of the gun
man.
Both went down together, but West
| colt was on his feet again before Lacy
| could act, closing with the latter. 1t
| was hand-to-hand. the silent struggle
| for mastery between two men not I'M
evenly matched. men asking and re-
nj
| lay on the floor. the other still repnsed
| on the open desk, and neither couiu
| be reached. 1t was a battle to be
| fought out with bare hands. Twice
| WeStcOtt struck, his cienched fist bring
| ing blood, but Lacy chung to him, one
| hand twisted in his neck-band. the
| other viciouSly forcing back his head.
Unable to release the grip, WeStcott
gave back, bending until his adversary
was beyond balance; then, suddenly
STRENGTHENING, hurled the fellow side
WAYS. But by now Beaton. daZed and
confused, was upon his feet. With the
below of wild bull he flung himself
on the struggling men, forcing Lacy
aside, and smashing into Westcott with
all the strength Of his body. The i'm
petus sent all three crashing to the
| floor.
Excited voices sounded without;
then blows resounded against the
wood of the locked door, but the three
men were oblivious to all but their
own struggle Like so many wild
| l,o,.t- +bo, and struck unable
to disentangle themselves. Enright,
his face like chalk. got to his knees
| and crept across the floor until ms
hand closed on Westcotts revolver.
Lifting himself by a grip on the desk,
he swung the weapon forward at the
very instant the miner rose staggering
dragging Beaton with him. There
was a flash of flame, sharp report.
and Westcott sprang aside, gripping
the back of chair. The gunman sank
into shapelessness on the floor as the
| chair hurtIed through the air straight
at Enright's head.
With a crash the door fell. and a
black mass of men surged in through
the opening, the bartender leading
them. an axe in his hand. Beaton
lay motionless just as he had dropped A.;
Enright was in one corner, daZed, IN
nerved, a red cash across his fore
head, from which blood dripped, The
revolver, struck from his fingers, yet
smoking on the floor; Westcott, MS
clothes torn. his face bruised by
blows, breathing heavily, went slowly
backward, step by step, to the farther
wall, conscious of nothing now but the
savagely hostile faces of these new
enemies. Lacy. staggering as though
drunk, managed to attain his feet,
hate. desire for revenge. yielding him
strength. This was his crowd, and his
mind was quick to grasp the oppor-
tunity.
There's the man who did It," he
shouted. his arm flung out toward
Westcott. II saw him shoot. See,
that's his gun lying on the floor. Don't
let the murderer get away!"
He started forward, an oath on his
Inns. and the excited crowd surged az
ter. growing anger. Then the mass
of them seemed suddenly rent asunder,
and the marsha! plowed his way
\ hot nd