Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-02-27
BY
VICTOR
ROUSSEAU
mksersfsoas ~
lrursn Myevs



I like ruadman. sens them smashing 20
the fccr. cleared hts way again. ans
made for Louis. who WAS Just opcr-
1 ing the hack dor. He grSSped az him.
t'ct Louis was Just SecSana too quick
| He darted through and the dcar.
| thrown hack violentty. struck Hilary
| upon the rorckead The next instant
Hilary passed through the doorway IN
pursuit.
The shSnty which RaptlSte had once
occupied had formerly hem = Part ef
large structure RSed BY the msn for
storing machinery. At the hack. and
contiguous with q. had hecn the old
min stables, The door connecting the
| two places had been nailed un but
puval had opened u that morning IN
the course Of his preparations for Hit-
ary'S adVent
As Hilary entsred the stable the
door closed behind him. and he heard
the bolt shot. The yclis Of the lumber
men grew faint IL was only then HIT
airy reallncd that he had run into .
trap,
The stable contained Louis. who haC
posted himself within the stab lmme
tiatcly opposite the entrance. ans
grinned at Hilary dcaantty. Retwecn
the two stood Simeon DuvaL a gro-
teSque grin upon his scholarllke tea.
lures, Tho man who had bolted the
door was Leblanc. and BLACK rierrc
stood beside him.
The four, executing a thanking move
ment simultaneously. advanced and
took up their position between Hilary
and the door. Nobody spoke, hut
Simeon Duvai took OF his SrectAclcs
quite methodicaliy, folded them In
their case. and placed II back In his
pocket. Standing with his back close
enough to the wall OF one Of the horse
boxes to he able 20 prevent ON attack
from behind. Hilary watched the foer
ccntemptuously. They had got him
there TO fight and there was nothing
he wanted moro. even against the ius
OF them. He half regretted having
drawn hts cartridges. but he was con.
sciouS of no sense of fear whatever,
the pocket In which the revolver lay
II might he useful for intimidation. ar
even for self-defcnse.
well. we got YOU. MecStnir Askew, y
sncered Simeon, "Now You listen hero,
Were peaceful men an we hate trou.
BILE. We don't want to hurt you II you
go away from st, Ronlfacc Geo back
where you come from ELSE we kill
YOU tonight. What YOU say1 You are
! nEssnn he's
hate yon. II We KIN YOU every one
swear You try to KIN Black Pierre. an
my hrudder, an mo. Now what you
sayg"
II haven't come here 10 say. but 70
give your brother thrnshing" an.
swered Hilary scornfuiiy. "The thrash
ing that I promised him that night nj
ste. Marie"
"You spy on me in Ste. Marie an
bring revenue officers. II cost me a
hundred dollar. you damn police spy.
You go now. chr What you sayf'
Hilary wheeled upon Leblanc aud
Pierre. And these men-what are
they doing hcreI You want three men
To help you kiil me. en-, slmeon1"
He did not want 60 pariey. hut IN
spite of his eagerness his Judgment
told him that he was In periloua sit.
uation. He must taunt them tlil they
lost their heads; that would give him
an advantage.
"You. Leblanc, want your lease
again. ] suppose. you thief" he said.
"You, Pierre, didn't get enough Of q
hiding that day ! caught you cutting
down my trees. There's another com.
Ing 10 you In minute or two simeon.
II I'd been You I'D have picked scene
men who could help me fight II ! was
afraid. instead"
He got no further. for at that mo.
ment. taking the Initiative. he sprang.
His fists dashed full into slmeon'a
face, right aud left. almost together
Simeon toppled backward: his head
struck the edge IT the stall behind
him. and he dropped moaning 60 the
floor and lay there.
Passing him. Hilary leaped for Louis,
but the agile little man eluded him
and darted down the middle ~ the
stable. Before he could quite recover
himself Leblanc and Pierre rprnng
from behind. A Hilary swing side
wise he saw the knife In Pierres hand.
He thrust his arm up. and the blow.
diverted, glanced. the knife ripping his
sleeve open. Leblanc. also with n
knife. was rpringing from the other
side. Hilary sized up the situation with
Judgment for which he could never
afterward account Dnshlng his fists
l ga0.snraWA h. a..
chin. forcing his head back at the
same time he KraSpcd lhc wrist which
held the knife and swung 40 80 In In.
terpose the outlaws body between
himself and iseblnnc's blow An La
blanc struck agnln Hilary turned. shell
tcring himself behind Pierre. one hand
under his chin the other holding back
the wrist. 80 that Leblen mes short. stab
bling strokes always fell short. being
| aimed around pferre'a bstdw