The Dolores star., 1920-06-11
VI VyCToR
ROUSSEAU
IIiusfrofionJ b.
Irwin Myers
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/ like n mailman. sent them smashing 10
the floor. cleared his way again, ana
| made for Louis. who was just open
ing the back door. lie Grnspcd at nm,
hut Louis was just n second too quick.
He darted through and the door,
thrown back violently. struck hilary
upun the forehead. The next instant
| Hilary passed through the doorway In
pursuit
The shanty which BaptIste had once
| occupied had formerly been part OF
n large structure used by the mill for
storing machinery. At the back, and
contiguous with II, had been the old
mill stables The door connecting the
two places had been nailed up. but
| Duval had opened 1t that morning In
| the course of his preparations for Hi
nry's advent.
As Hilary entered the stable the
door closed behind him. and he heard
the bolt shot. The yells of the lumber.
men grew faint. II was only then HI
ary realized that he had run into
trap.
The stable contained Louis who hn(
rosied himself within the stall imme
| diatcly opposite the entrance. ant
crinucd at Hilary defiantly. Between
the two stood Simeon Duval, n gro
tcsque grin upon his scholnrlike fen-
lures. The man who had bolted the
door was Leblanc. and Black Pierre
stood beside him.
The four. executing n fianklng move
ment simultaneously, advanced and
took up their position between Hilary
and the door. Nobody spoke, but
Simeon Duval took on his spectacles
quite methodically. 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 to prevent an attack
from behind, Hilary watched the four
contemptuously. They had got him
there to fight and there was nothing
he wanted more, even against the lot
of them. He half regretted having
drawn his cartridges. but he was con
scious of no sense of fear whatever
He kept his right hand lightly against
the pocket in which the revolver lay
Il might be useful for intimidation, or
even for self-defense.
well, we got you. Meestair Askcw,'
sneered Simeon. Nov you listen here
We're peaceful men an we hate trou
BILE. We don't want to hurt you II you
=" away from St. Bonifacc. Go back
where you come from. Else we kill
yon tonight What you say? You are
alone here, no police, and every one
hate YOU II we kill you every one
swear you try to kill Black Pierre. an
my brudder, an me. Now what yor
sayT
81 haven't come here to say, but Il
give your brother thrashing." an
swered Hilary scornfully. "The thrash
ing that l promised him that night a
Ste. Marie"
you spy on me in Ste. Marie an
bring revenue officers. 1t cost me 1
hundred dollar. you damn police spy
You 20 now, eh7 What you say?"
Hilary wheeled upon Leblanc ant
Pierre. "And these men-what arr
HEY doing here? You want three mel
TO help you kill me. eh. Simeon?"
He did not want to parley. but II
spite OF his eagerness his judgmen
told him that he was in perilous sit
uation. He must taunt them till the
lost their heads; that would give hin
an advantage.
You, Leblanc, want your leas
again. suppose, you thief" he sale
You, Pierre, didn't get enough of
hiding that day l caught you cuttin
down my trees. There's another con
ing to yon in a minute or two. Simeor
If I'd been yOu I'd have picked som
men who could help me fight II wa
afraid. instead"
: He got no further. for at that mo
ment, taking the initiative. he sprane
, His fists dashed full into Simeon
! face, right and left. almost together
Simeon toppled backward; his heat
struck the edge of the stall benin,
; MN, and he dropped moaning to tn,
, floor and lay there.
Passing him, Hilary leaped for Louis
but the agile little man eluded hin
and darted down the middle of the
stable. Before he could quite recoye,
himself Leblanc and Pierre sprane
from behind. AS Hilary swung side
wise he saw the knife in Pierre's hand
lie thrust his arm up, and the blow
diverted, glanced, the knife ripping his
sleeve open. Leblanc. also with q
knife, was springing from the other
side. Hilary sized up the situation with
Judgment for which he could neye,
afterward account. Dashing his fists
upward, he caught Pierre under the
chih. forcing his head back; Mt the
same time he grasped the wrist which
held the knife and swung so as to In.
terpose the outlaws body between
himself and Leblanc's blow. As LIE.
bihhc struck again Hilary turned, shel.
tering himself behind Pierre, one hand
under his chin, the other holding back
me wrist, so that Leblnncs short, stab.
DING strokes always fell short, being