The Rice belt journal. (Welsh, Calcasieu Parish, La.) 1900-19??, 1920-06-26
By
VICTOR
ROUSSEAU
illustrations b.
Irwin Myers

Br0uSSeauS fictitious parleylng. Each
had his knife ready, and they were
upon Hilary together.
There was no room for maneuFering
and Hilary never knew afterward how
lie escaped. But he thrust his club
into Leblanc's face, and, then as the
man stumbled back, brought it down
with full force upon Pierre's skull.
All the strength of his arms went
into the blow. Pierre never spoke
again. He went Keeling across the
deck like an inanimate thing, struck
the bulwark, and, as the schooner
lurched, toppled into the sea. He was
probably dead before he disappeared
beneath the waves.
Leblanc rushed frantically toward
the barricade. Hilary was upon him
when he saw Brousseau whip out re-
vOlver and take deliberate aim at him.
He felt the bullet clip his cheek. Twice
more BrOusseau fred. At the second
shot Hilary stumbled and fell fiat in
the cabin entrance. At the third. Lee
blanc, shot through the brain, whirled
round twice and collapsed in front of
the barrier.
Madeleine dragged Hilary within the
cabin. Blood was gushing from a
wound In his breast. Frantically she
began to tear away the upper part of
his clothing and to endeavor to stanch
the wound. Suddenly she perceived the
little rusted revolver upon the floor.
She snatched it up and ran to see
Brousseau in the act Of crossing the
barrlcade. She pushed 1t into his
face.
Brousseau cursed and dropped on the
far side; Madeleine heard him running
into the darkness. She had brought
temporary respite. She ran back to
Hilary. But 1t was almost dark in the
cabin, and there was hardly anything
she could do. He was conscious, but
he seemed bleeding to death, and she
could only try to stanch the blood that
never stopped flowing.
Suddenly there came a terrific lurch
Of the vessel, which began to spin
crafty Ia the trough Of the sea. And
above the roaring Of the wind came
the wild cries of Dupont and the ex-
postulations Of BrousSeau. The cap
tain's reason had deserted him; he had
abandoned the wheel to fight out his
quarrel with Hilary. The schooner,
uncontrolled, ran sidewise before the
wind, and Brousseau, willing as he
was to let Dupont go on his errand Of
murder, was unable to steer her. He
had handled ships before, but the
swift cr0ss-currents at the juncture OF
river and gulf made the task impos-
sibie for one who did not know init
mately that uncharted track, far from
the main channel, now impossible
with ice. The schooner was rolling
heavily, huge seas were sweeping over
board, and she turned successfully
half round the compass; the wind,
catching her swinging sails, began to
whirl her round and round; and
steadily she drifted toward the pack
Ice along the shore Of the island.
Madeleine, working over Hilary
frantically In the cabin, saw Dupont
and BrOusSeau struggling on the poop
deck. Dupont was trying to force
his way between the lumber piles,
while Brousseau urged him back to the
wheel. Her mind worked rapidly. Was
there any way of controlling the stu
alton? She could see none. The moon
had risen high. and the mists were
clearing away. Not far distant was
the nearing point of the island, and
the open Gulf lay beyond. Toward the
ice field the ship was hurrying with
frightful speed.
Madeleine saw the ice fast On every
side. The narrow passage behind,
filled with black, foam-fecked water,
was closing In. She did not hesitate,
but caught at Hilary and urged him to
his feet. He managed to rise, with
her support, and staggered at her side
toward the bulwarks.
She stopped, picked the fur coat
from the shoulders Of the dead out
law, and placed 1t about him. She
pointed toward the Ice field. Brons-
seau was still struggling with Dupont
near the wheel and Dupont was
thrashing his arms and bowling his
Wild paean. With the last exercise Of
his strength Hilary managed to drop
to the Ice.
He lay there. Madeleine crouched
over him under the bow Of the vessel,
and her last hope went out.