American Fork citizen. [volume] (American Fork, Utah) 1912-1979, 1920-03-27
BY
Ncto-Ro,,,


my brudder, an me. Now what you
sayY
Il haven't come here to say, but to
give your brother thrashing," an
swered Hilary scornfully. "The thrash
ing that l promised him that night at
Ste. Marie"
You spy on me In Ste. Marie an
bring revenue officers. 1t cost me n
hundred dollar, you damn police SPY.
You 90 now, eh? What you say?"
Hilary wheeled Upon Leblanc and
Pierre. "And these men-wbat are
they doing here? You want three men
TO help you kill me- Ell, Simeon?"
He did not want to parley. hut in
spite of his eagerness his Judgment
told him that he was In n perilous sit
uation. He must taunt them till 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
hiding that day caught you cutting
down my trees. There's another COM
ing to you In minute or two. Simeon,
II I'd been YOU I'd have picked some
men who could help me fight II l was
afraid, instead"
He got no further. for at that mo.
ment, taking the initiative, he sprang.
His fists dashed full into Simeon's
race, right and left, almost together.
simeon toppled backward; his head
struck the edge of the stall behind
MIN, and he dropped moaning TO the
ioor and lay there.
Passing him, Hilary leaped for Louis.
but the agile little man eluded him
and darted down the middle of the
stable. Before he could quite recover
himself Leblanc and Pierre sprang
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 a
knife. was springlng from the other
side. Hilary sized up the situation with
Judgment for which he could never
arierward account. Dashing his fists
upward, he caught Pierre under the
chin, forcing his head back; Mt the
same time he grasped the wrist which
held the knife and swung so as to I'm.
terpose the outlaws body between
himself and Leblancs blow. As lie.
blanc struck again Hilary turned, shell
tering himself behind Pierre, one hand
under his chin, the other holding back
the wrist, so that Leblancs short, stab
bling strokes always fell short, being
aimed around Pierre's body.
Backing into the stall adjacent to
the one In which Simeon had fallen,
Hilary In this manner continued to
ward Off Leblanc's attack. The stall
was narrow. and the jObber was I'M
able to get past Pierre, struggling In
Hilary's grasp. in order to strike a
blow from the side or rear. SO long
as Hilary could retain his hold on
Pierre and keep him In this position he
was comparatively safe. But he had
no more than about fifteen seconds In
which to think out his next move. II
was all a question Of muscular en-
durance. He could not hope to retain
his clutch on Plerre's throat with one
hand for many seconds. against the
force behind the outlaws shoulders,
and his strong, thick-set body. Sud-
denly he made up his mind. He re-
leased Pierre, filnglng him backward
with all his might. Pierre fell against
Leblanc, sending him staggering; the
two clawed ut each other and fell to
the floor.
As Hilary released Pierre he caught
sight OF Louis face peerlng across
Plerre's shoulder. The fall Of the two
men left Louis Hilary's only immedi-
ute opponent. Hilary hesitated; in
spite of mis- threat, spoken to Simeon.
he hesitated to attack man much his
inferior In size and strength. But at
that moment he saw Louis right arm
drawn back. and the CLEAN OF the
knife he held. Before the upward
thrust came he stepped back, pulled
the revolver from his pocket, and
brought the butt crashing down on
Louis head.
"That's what l promised you" he
The little man, instantly drenched
with blood from the jagged scalp
wound, staggered, let the knife fall,
screamed, and fled, stumbling from
side to side, with hands upraised above
his head, toward the door. Louis had
had enough he had been meant to be
the bait OF the trap, and now he had
been caught In 1t. Blinded by the
blood that poured over his face, he
Numbered into one OF the window EN-
brasures, and his upraised hands
brought down the lamp, which fell
crashing upon the wooden floor, and
fortunately went out.
Stlll screaming, Louis found the
door and tried TO push back the bolt.
But before he could do so Hilary was
ON the spot. He pushed 1t back HIM
self and, taking Louis by the shoui- I
ders, he pushed hlm with all his
into Baptiste's shanty.
The room was empty. The word
had evidently heen nassed about that " ,