The Raymer enterprise., 1920-07-08

ittle open space they satisfied them
selves that he was not following them
"We'ye passed our landing place.
said Hilary.
Looking out across the gray waters
he perceived. close at hand. and ap
parently beached on the shore. the
white sail Of sloop. II seemed to be
the vessel which they had seen earlier
that afternoon. tacklng toward the
south shore.
The men looked at each other. and
the same unspoken question was In
the eyes Of each. Then Lafe grabbed
Hilary by the shoulders.
"See here!" he said. I'VE amt 20
Ing to stay and hight Brousseau's gana
just for the fun Of II. / guess it's
Pierre and Leblanc In that boat all
right. and that they're on their way
home. We beat It for ours ~ hard al
we can go-seei You amt at to dc
no more lighting anyway" be pleaded
"And won't. no matter what happens
that's straight to Jon. ri light ans
man with fists II got to. buf I'm
darned II I'll stand up against that
scum with camp knives"
you're quite right. Lafe." answered
Hilary. Come. let's get to the boat as
quick as we can"
But AZ they started there rang ont q
woman's cry. Again came the scream
and In an instnnt. forgetful Of their
resolution. they had turned and raced
back along the trail.
Not many steps. and. breaking
through the trees. they saw Marie Du.
pont struggling In Plerres arms while
Leblanc and Nanette stood near them,
laughing.
Lafe leaped at Pierre. and his bony
fist caught the outlaw beneath the
chin. Pierre went down In a heap.
Hilary made for Leblanc. whose ex.
preston would. under other circum.
stances. have been comical In Its sur.
prise.
He turned upon the girl and
knocked her down savagely. Then,
without another glance at Hilary, he
made Tor the sloop.
LeaTing Pierre where he had fallen,
Lafe joined In the pursuit. But Ls-
blanc had several yards start, and his
experience Of Hllary's prowess lent
wings to his feet. He plunged into the
water and, by miracle Of strength,
swung the sloop clear Of the sand on
which she had been beached. As the
vessel was carried clear by the swift.
flowing tide the ex-jobber scrambled
aboard, dripping, and pushed OF with
the oar. Lafe and Hilary stood. baf.
fled, upon the brink Of the water,
while Leblanc. at an ever Increasing
distance. began to put up the sail,
shouting back defiant curses mean.
while.
They heard q sound Of feet upon
the shlngle behind them. and turned
quickly. 1t was Pierre, but he wss
bolting for the woods. They ran st
him. but he had gnined the shelter OF
the trees. and II was growing too dark
to follow. They stopped and looked
back. Leblanc was now quite a dis.
tance from the island, and making for
the north shore upon the incoming
tide.
Lets CO." said Hilary, and be took
Marie gently by the arm. She went
with him obediently. and Lafe fol.
lowed with Nanette. whose lip was
bloody from Leblanc's blow.
The tide was running fairly for St.
bonifaee. 1t was almost dark now
but the wind had died away and the
stars were brilliant. Hilary, taking
on his overcoat, wrapped 1t about
Marie. The girls bewilderment had
yielded to abject gratitude. She
raised Hilary's hand to her lips and
pressed 1t. Beside her Nanette
wrapped In Lafe's waterproof. was
sobbing wildly and wipIng her
wounded lip. The words that passed
were drowned In the sound Of the lap.
ping waves before they reached the
ears Of Louis. at the tiller.
Nov. what happenedr asked Hill
ary Of Marie. Tell me, and wei
clap those rufiians into jail, l assure
you. How did they get you into that
boatT
Marie sobbed out her explanation
but when Hilary gathered, with din,
Guilty from the broken words. STAN.
mered In French. that she FAD gone
aboard with Pierre to marry him In
Quebec. he could hardly believe hii
ears.
"And your father knows nothing Of
thisr he inquired. when she had
ended.
He knows nothing, monsieur. All
monsieur, you saved me before, and
y was ungrateful. Promise me
swear to me. that he shall never
know!"
"And you. Nanette." continued Hil
ary, addressing the weeping girl
what have you to say. who lured hel
here, knowing thisr
Il did not know. monsieur" eriet
Nanette. SPierre told me that II
bring her be would ct mo back my
sweetheart"
Leblanc. chr
@Oui. monsieur. Then he take M