Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1920-02-06
By
VICTOR
ROUSSEAU
HIIsfr0fioas By
Irwin Myers

the moor. cleared MS way again, ana
made for Louis, who was just open
ing the back door. He grasped at him.
but Louis was just a second too quick.
He darted through, and the door.
thrown back violently, struck Hilary
upon the forehead. The next Instant
Hilary passed through the doorway in
pursuit
The shanty which Baptiste had once
occupied had former.y been part of
large structure used by the mill for
storing machinery. At the back, and
contiguous with it. had been the old
mia stables. The door connecting the
two places had been nailed mp. but
Duyal had opened it that morning in
the course of his preparations for Hill
ary's advent.
| As Hilary entered the stable the
door closed behind him, aud he heard
the bolt shot. The yells ot the lumber.
men grew faint. 1t was only then Hill,
| AIRY realized that he had run into q
trap.
The stable contained Louis, who haC
posted himself within the stall imme
diately opposite the entrance, anC
grinned at Hilary defiantly. Between
the two stood Simeon Duval. gro
tescue grin upon his scholarlike fea-
lures. The man who had bolted the
door was Leblanc. and Black Pierre
stood beside him.
The four, executing fianking move
ment simultaneously, advanced and
took up their position between Hilary
and the door Nobody spoke, but
Simeon Duval took off his snectacles
quite methodically folded them in
their case. and placed II 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 ana there was nothing
he wanted more. even against the Io'
OF them He half regretted having
drawn his cartridges. but he was con.
scious IF no sense of fear whatever
/ He kept his right hand lightly araimt
/ the pocket in which the revolver lay
it might be useful for intimidation. OF
/ even for self-defense.
well we got yotb Meestalr Askew, >
/ sneered Simeon. snow you listen here
We're peaceful men an we hate trou
BILE. We don't want to hurt you If you
90 away from ST. Boniface Go bach
where you come frcm Else we xii
YOU tonight. What you say? You are
/ uione here, no police, and every one
hate you. If we kill you every one
swear you try TO kill Back Pierre, an
] my brudder, an me. Now what you
/ sayT
II haven't come here to say, but &c
give your brother 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. II cost me d
hundred dollar, you damn police spy
! You go now, EN-? What you say?"
Hilary wheeled upon Leblanc and
Pierre. 'An6 these men-what are
they doing herei You want three men
TO help you kin me. eh, SimeonT
He did not want to parley, but in
spite of his eageluess his judgment
told him tina. he waS in a perilous sit.
uation. He must taunt them tin they
lost their heads; that would give him
an advantage.
''You. Leblanc, want your lease
again, | suppose, you thief" he said
you. Pierre, didn't get enough Of a
hiding that day ! caught you cutting
down my trees. There's another com.
| ing to you In a minute or two. Simeon
If I'd been you I'd have picked some
men who could help me fight If j was
| afraid, instead"
| He got no further, for at that mo-
ment, taking the Initiative, he sprang
His fists dashed full into Simeon's
face, right and left almost together
Simeon toppled backward: his head
struck the edge Of the stall behind
him, and he dropped moaning to the
floor and lay there.
Passing him. Hilary laaped for Louis,
! but the agile little man eluded him
Ina darted down the middle Of the
stable. Before he could quite recover
himself Leblanc and Pierre sprang
from behind. AS Hilary swung side.
wise he saw the knife In Pierre's hand
lie thrust his arm up, and the blow,
diverted, glanced, the knife ripping his
sleeve open. Leblanc. also with a
knife, was springing from the other
side. Hilary sized up the situation with
judgment for which he could never
afterward account. Dashing his fists
upward, he caught Pierre under the
chin, forcing his head back; at the
same time he grasped the wrist which
held the knife and swung SO as to In.
terpose the outlaws body between
| himself and Leblanc's blow. AS lie
blanc struck again hillary turned shell
tering himself behind Pierre. one hand
under his chin. the other holding bach
the wrist. 50 that Leblanc's short, stab
hing strokes always fell short beini
aimed around Pierre's body.
/ Rackfng into the stall adtacpnt IL