The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-03-27

as Hilary c.uld retain his h"ld On
Pierre and keep him IN TINS posi- '"'! ne
WAS comparatively safe. But lie hHu
no more than about fifteen seconds IN
which to thinl. out his Text move II
was all question CT muscular th-
durance. He could not hope 70 f''llh
his clutch on PierreS throat WIN oho
hand for many seconds. a&aIhNl 'He
force behind the outlaws Sh"d'''Fs'
and his strong. thick-Set body SUI
denly he made up his mind. lie re-
leased Pierre. tiingin@ MN barhHaE"
with all his might. Pierre Tell u" n9t
Leblanc, sending him staggefih2' tAo
two clawcd at each other and tell 10
the floor.
As Hilary released Pierre he cauGht
sight of Louis face peering across
pierre's shoulder. The fall OF the TWO
men left Louis IIilary's only lhlineul-
ate opponent. Hilary hesitatea' ia
spite of his threat, spoken to Simeon
he hesitated to attack man much MS
inferior in size and strength. But al
that moment he saw Louis right arm
| drawn back, and the CLEAN Oh the
knife he held. Before the upward
thrust came he stepped back, pulled
the revolver from his pocket anu
brought the butt crashing down Cd
Louis head.
"That's what l promised your ne
shouted.
The little man, instantly drenched
with blood from the Jagged scalp
wound, staggered, let the knife 1an'
screamed, and fled, stumbling from
side to side, with hands appraised above
his head. toward the door. Louis mao
had enough; he had been meant TO DC
| the bait of the trap, and now ne hau
been caught in it. Blinded by tho
blood that poured over his face, ne
Numbered into one Of the WINDOW EN-
brasures and his appraised hahah
brought down the lamp, when IeiI
crashing upon the wooden floor, ano
fortunately went out.
Still screaming, Louis found the
door and tried to push hack the poit
But before he could do 50 Hilary was
on the spot. He pushed it back him
self and, taking Louis by the sho1!
ders. he pushed him With all nis
strength into Baptiste's s;ianty.
The room was empty. The wore
had evidently been passed about that IL
would be advisable for one TO maks
oneself scarce in view of what waf
going on in the stable. But GROUP
oh
at the entrance, peering in; ana the
sudden apparition of Louis, covered
with blood and Hillary behind him,
proved too strong for their discretion.
They came running forward yelling.
Hilary could have broken through
! them and gained the safety OF MS
rooms, a short distance away. Even
the hazard in such cor' e was less
than what he had faced in the stable.
> But the idea never occurred tp him.
He was fighting mad; he had ccme 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 We're subconscious,
? were made in fractional seconds tha'
e night. So, now, he calculated that the
, pair would reach the door half-Gec'
j on9 before the men in the shnnty'
They would emerge confident, ina5in'
D ing him TO be in flight. He waited.
: Louis laundering flight, which to2k
him into the midst Of the lumbern,e H.
t stopped them in their attack, just ns
| tod n
: same moment Leblanc's head aid
a shoulders became visible around the
!. door. Hilary, waiting for that, jabb'd
upward viciously with his right. Lee
/ blanc howled and fell backward
e knocking Pierre off his balance In
q turn: and before they had recovere d
from the surprise Hilary had stepped
n back into the stable and bolted the
t door behind him.
: He saw their wonder and the dawn
Y ing fear in Leblanc's face, covered with
n blood. and Pierres Infatuated Ecowl !:
but they came on at him again, craft
e lily now, crouching, their knives drawn
|. back for the stab. A revolver, even
q when loaded, is of little use against a
e knife, welded by an expert at clOse
l. quarters. The men were attacking
|, from opposite sides, to-. They were
g watching each movement that Hslar!
s made He estimated that they would
spring after very brief delay. BE
y hazarded second and, STOPPING, picked
, up fragment of rotteh harness. which
3 had fallen to the floor beside one 81
r the horse-boxes. He wheeled towart
d Leblanc, who twisted his bo1y II
d meet him; and then, as Pierre rishee
q in from behind, wheeled agaln and
brought down the harness strap upon
q his head.