Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1920-01-30

like a pack of wolves, snarling, and
trying to thrust at him with the knives
which they had drawn from their
leather belt sheaths. Hilary, fighting
like a madman, sent them smashing to
the floor, cleared his way again, and
made for Louis, who was lust open-
ing the back door. He grasped at him,
but Louis was just second too quick.
He darted through. and the door,
thrown back violently, struck Hilary
upon the forehead. The next instant
Hilary passed through the doorway in
pursuit.
The shanty which Baptiste had once
occupied had formerly been a part of
a large structure used by the mill for
storing machinery. At the back, and
contiguous with it, had been the old
mill stables. The door connecting the
two places had been nailed up, but
DuVal had opened it that morning in
the course of his preparations for Hill
ary'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. 1t was only then Hill
ary realized that he had run into a
trap.
The stable contained Louis, who hac
posted himself within the stall imme
diately opposite the entrance, anc
grinned at Hilary defiantly. Between
the two stood Simeon Duval, gro
tesque grin upon his scholarlike fea-
lures. The man who had bolted the
door was Leblanc, and Black Pierre
stood beside him.
The four, executing fianking move
ment simultaneously, advanced and
took up their position between Hilary
and the door. Nobody spoke, but
Simeon Duval took off his spectacles
quite methodically, folded them in
their case, and placed it back in his
pocket. Standing with his back close
enough to the wall of one of the horse.
boxes to be able to prevent an attack
from behind, Hilary watched the four
contemptuously. They had got him
there to fight and there was nothing
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
it might be useful for intimidation, OF
| even for self-defense.
"Well, we got you, Meestair Askew,
| Sr1nnrnd Cir,onnv1 SSkI0xrv /,
We're peaceful men an we hate trou
BILE We don't want to hurt you if yor
| go away from st. Boniface Go back
where you come from. Else we kill
you tonight. What you say? You are
alone here, no police, and every one
hate you. If we kill you every one
swear you try to kill Black Pierre, an
my brudder, an me. Now what yor
say?"
| "b haven't come here to say, but te
give your brother a thrashing," an
swered Hilary scornfully. 'The thrash
ing that 1 promised him that night a
Ste. Marie"
bring revenue officers. 1t cost me &
hundred dollar, you damn police spy
You go now, eh? What you say?"
Hilary wheeled upon Leblanc an(
Pierre. "And these men-what ar,
they 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 a perilous sit
uation. He must taunt them till the,
lost their heads; that would give hin
an advantage.
"You, Leblanc, want your leas,
again, I suppose, you thief" he said
"You, Pierre, didn't get enough of
hiding that day 1 caught you cuttini
down my trees. There's another com
ing to you in a minute or two. Simeon
if I'd been you I'd have picked sons
men who could help me fight if I wa
afraid, instead"
He got no further, for at that mo
ment, taking the initiative, he sprang
His fists dashed full into Simeon
face, right and left, almost together
Simeon toppled backward; his .hea
| III oOA IAtO OoSO VI lhC oLAAl pC1lA
him, and he dropped moaning to tn
floor and lay there.
Passing him, Hilary leaped for Louis
but the agile little man eluded hir
and darted down the middle Of tn
stable. Before he could quite recove
himself Leblanc and Pierre spran
from behind. AS Hilary swung side
wise he saw the knife in Pierre's han(
He thrust his arm up, and the blow
diverted, glanced, the knife ripping hi
sleeve open. Leblanc, also with
knife, was springing from the othe
side. Hilary sized up the situation wit
Judgment for which he could neve
afterward account. Dashing his fist
upward, he caught Pierre under til
chin, forcing his head back; at tn