The Pulaskian., 1920-02-13

as Hilary could retain b,s
 Pierre and keep him in tbis noli' nold oa was comparatively safe p,'e ps9'.lon no more than about fifteen saoa s ne haa which to think out his next eOaas moe was all question of mnser, ,Ose. durance. He could not h'ea'af hono ea his clutch on Pierre's throat - retain hand for many seconds. ago;asa a.sa oas force behind the outlaws os, sbos', 'ls and his strong, thick-set body ''Ss's denly he made up his mind oud. leased Pierre, fiinging him ne re with all his might. Pierre feIl Il1eawafd Leblanc, sending him stagpor;nss rsaasI two clawed at each other and 1s s,n @e the floor. iea to
 As Hilary released Pierre ha o.n sight of Louis face peerino sausal Pierre's shoulder The fall of tbo as,Oss men left Louis Hilary's onlv ,nas.s ,s sso ate opponent. Hilary besitatas. a''ll spite of his threat, spoken to S,r. he hesitated to attack man muoh SSa ", inferior in size and strength. Ra+ ' that moment he saw Louis, riobt q drawn back, and the gleam of M knife he held. Before the nnwsss sas thrust came he stepped back nulss the revolver from his pocket sss brought the butt crashing down s1a Louis head.
 That's what I promised youls i. shouted.
 The little man, instantly dreneha with blood from the jagged sean wound, staggered, let the knife fsa screamed, and fled, stumbling from side to side, with hands upraised abovo his head, toward the door. Louis hsa had enough; he had been meant to Ia the bait of the trap, and now he had been caught in it. Blinded by tha blood that poured over his face. he blundered into one of the window em. brasures, and his upraised hands brought down the lamp, which fen crashing upon the wooden floor and fortunately went out.
 Still screaming, Louis found tbe 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 shOul ders, he pushed him with all his strength into Baptiste's shanty.
 The room was empty. The word had evidently been passed about that it would be advisable for one to make oneself scarce in view of what was going on in the stable. But group of men were gathered about the door at the entrance, peering in; and the sudden apparition of Louis covered with blood, and Hilary behind him. proved too strong for their discretion They came running forward, yelling.
 Hilary could have broken through them and gained the safety of his rooms, short distance away. Even the hazard in such q cou e Was less than what he had faced in the stable. But the idea never occurred to him. He was fighting mad; he had come to St. Boniface to fight, and he meant to fight his quarrel out. He turned.
 He heard Leblanc and Pierre run ming across the stable floor. All his calculations, which were subconseious, were made in fractional seconds that night. So, now, he calculated that the pair would reach the door half-See ond before the men in the shanty. They would emerge confident, imagln. ing him to be in flight. He waited. Louis blundering flight, which took him into the midst of the lumbermen' stopped them in their attack, just as Hilary had calculated it would; at the same moment Leblanc's head ana shoulders became visible around the door. Hilary, waiting for that jaDDea upward viciously with his right. Le' blanc howled and fell backward knocking Pierre off his balance ID turn; and before they had recoyereu from the surprise Hilary had steppea back into the stable and bolted ths door behind him.
 He saw their wonder and the dawn ing fear in Leblanc's face, covered WilA blood. and Pierres infuriated scoWli but they came on at him again, cfait fly now, crouching, their knives draWl back for the stab. A revolver, evel when loaded, is of little use against knife, wielded by an expert at cios' quarters. The men were attackins from opposite sides, too. They Wei' watching each movement that Hllar' made. He estimated that they woul' spring after very brief delay. H' hazarded second and, stooping, plcke' up fragment of rotten harness Wnic' had fallen to the floor beside one the horse-boxes. He wheeled toWai' Leblanc, who twisted his body U meet him; and then, as Pierre rusle' in from behind, wheeled agaln an' brought down the harness strap upOi his head.