The Connecticut labor press., 1920-01-10
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and to remember Councils counsel. Pierre thought he was afraid. He sneered openly.
 Hast time came here," said Hilary calmly, disregarding the others trucu- lence, Monsieur Leblanc was in charge of this territory. Now find you here in Leblanc's place. l. have not hired you. Again ask what you are doing here"
 T don know what you mean" snort ed Pierre, "an' I got no time to waste in damn foolishness. This here Is the Ste. Marie limits. Monsieur Brousseau an Monsieur Morris run the Ste. Marie limits. Leblanc he work for them las year. Now got Leblanc's place"
 'tThe Ste. Marie limits are on the other side of the Riviere Rocheuse," said Hilary.
 ''Holy Name, ain't this side of Ki- viere Rocheuse? Didn' you cross him coming here?"
 ''That creek is not the Riviere Ro- cheuse, as you know very we'll, Pierre"
 Black Pierre thrust his face forward into Hilary's. "Say,lI got no time to waste wit you" he snarled. If you come to fight, say so."
 'I'll give you five minutes to get off my 1and."
 "You wan to fight. eh? All right" growled the other. suddenly stripping off his short, open jacket.
 Hilary had just time to fasten the top button of his coat before Pierre, with a below, charged him, his head -1- ,.lySv f1yn Pierre made short, vicious staDs ar him; he was muscle-bound and could hot extend the elbow-joint with any force, but any of his short blows, deilv- cred from a shoulder like mutton joint, would have knocked man sense less.
 Hilary stepped aside as Pierre pre- cipitated himself upon him. and gave him a short uppercut with the left. Pierre went reeling past him, tripred over projecting trunk of tree, and fell sprawling to the ground.
 A second later he was up again, rush. ing at Hilary. Despite Hilary's blows, which nearly blinded him, and covered his face with blood, he managed to get home two body deliveries which knock ed the wind out of the American. Hil- ary was forced to give ground. He had boxed at college a good deal; that was several years before, but the mem ory instinctively came back to him. Its foot-work wins," his teacher had told him. He stepped from side to side, guarding himself against Pierre's furi- ous lunges dextecously, until the op- portunfty for telling cross-counter with the right sent Pierre crashing backward.
 He rose. splitting the blood out of his mouth, and rushed at Hilary again. This time he managed to lock his arms about him and, holding him securely with the left. pummeled him. Hilary forgot his science and shot his right upward between the arm and the body, landing on Pierre's chin. Pierre reeled, but he did not let go his hold. He grasped Hilary like bear, hugging him till the breath was nearly out of his body, and forcing the point of his chin in under Hilary's collar-bone.
 Pierre was several years the older. and winded by fast living. but his mus cles were as- firm as a young mans. Knowing that his enemy's science was more than a match for his superior he maintained the clinch, but gradually shifted his grasp upward. first pinioning Hilary's arm, then grip ping his shoulder, until he had him by the throat.
 Hilary, gasping under the relentless pressure, saw the faces of the lumber men swim round him. He saw the tri- umph and the joy, the moekery and the hatred on each there was no pity for the American; many an old land question, many racial conflict had be- come incarnate Tn that fight under the pines. Hilary realized that it was a battle. not for the timber tract, but for his own life.
 Pierre's face grinned into his own indignantly, plastered with dust and smeared with the sweat that drove white furrows across 1t. Hilary let his