The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-04-22
BY
VICTOR
ROUSSEAU
Hiusfrafions By
Irwin Myers

| like a mailman. sent them smashing TO
the floor. cleared his way again, and
made for Louis, who was just open
ing the back door. He grasped at him,
but Louis was just a second too quick.
lie darted through. and the door
thrown back violently. struck Hilary
upon the forehead. The next instant
Hilary passed through the doorway In
pursuit
The shaniy which Baptiste had once
occupied haa formerly been a part Of
large structure used by the mill for
storing machinery. At the back, and
contiguous with il. had been the old
mill stables. The door connecting the
two places had been nailed up, but
Duval had opened IL that morning In
the course Of his preparations for Hi
sry's advent.
As Hilary entered the stable the
door closed behind him, and he heard
the bolt shot The yells OF the lumber.
raen grew faint. II was only then Hi.
airy realized that he had run into
trap.
The stable contained Louis, who hao
posted himself within the stall imme
diately opposite the entrance, ano
grinned at Hilary defiantly. Between
the two stood Simeon Duval, gro
tesque grin upon his scholarlike fea-
tures. lhe man who had bolted the
door was LebLnc, and Black Pierre
stood beside him.
The four executing a flanking move
ment simultaneously, advanced and
took up their position between Hilary
and the door, Nobody spoke. but
Simeon DuvaI 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
he wanted more, even against the lot
of them. He half regretted having
drawn his cartridges, but he was con.
sclous of no sense OF fear whatever
He kept his right hand lightly against
the pocket in which the revolver lay;
IL might be useful for intimidation, OF
even for self-defense.
"Wcll. we got you. Meestair Askew,'
sneered Simeon. "Now you listen htre
We're peaceful men an we hate trou.
ble. We don't want to hurt you II you
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. II we kill you every one
swear you try to kill Black Pierre, an
my brudder, an me. Now what you
sayT
Il haven't come here to say, but &c
give your brother a thrashing" an
swered Hilary scornfully. "The thrash,
ing that promised him that night al
Ste. Marie"
You spy on me IN Ste. Marie an
bring revenue officers. 1t cost me G
hundred dollar, you damn police spy
You 20 now. Ell? What you sayf"
Hilary wheeled upon Leblanc an6
Pierre. "And these men-what are
they doing here? You want three meI
to help you kill me. eh. Simeon?"
He did not want to parley, but ir
spite of his eagerness his judgment
told him that he was in perilous sit
uation. He must taunt them till they
lost their heads; that would give hin
an advantage.
'You, Leblanc, want your lease
again. suppose. you thief" he said
you. Pierre. didn't get enough Of Z
hiding that day / caught you cuttinl
down my trees. There's another com
ing to you In a minute or two. Simeon
II I'd been you I'd have picked som,
men who could help me fight If wal
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,
struck the edge of the stall benin,
him, and he dropped moaning to tn,
floor and lay there.
AtaRNh AOt AOuic
bat the agile little man eluded hin
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 hand
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 witt
judgment for which he ceuld neve
afterward account. Dashing his fist
upward, he caught Pierre under tn
chin, forcing his head back; at tn
same time he grasped the wrist whicl
held the knife and swung so as to in
terpose the outlaws body between
himself and Leblanc's blow. AS L.
blanc struck again Hilary turned, shel
tering himself behind Pierre, one han