The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1920-03-27
By
VICTOR
ROUSSEAU
illustrations hp
Irwin Myers


ing the back door. He graSped at MN
but Louis was just a second too qulch'
He darted through, and the door.
thrown back violently, struck hilary
upon the forehead. The next instant
Hilary passed through the doorway III
pursuit.
The shanty which Baptiste had once
occupied had formerly been a part OF
large structure used by the mill 1or
storing machinery. At the back. and
contiguous with 1t, had been the ora
mill stables The door connecting the
two places had been nailed up. but
Duval had opened it that morning III
the course of his preparations for Hill
ary's advent.
AS Hilary entered the stable the
door closed behind him, and he heard
| the bolt shot. The yells of the lumber
men grew faint 1t was only then ILL
ary realized that he had run into
trap.
The stable contained Louis, who hat
posted himself within the stall lmme
diately opposite the entrance, an'
grinned at Hilary defiantly. Between
the two stood Simeon Duval, gro
| tesuue grin upon his scholarlike fea-
lures. The man who had bOlted the
door was Leblanc, and Black Pierre
stood beside him.
| The four, executing a fianking move
ment simultaneously, advanced and
| hot, hntyyRnn
and the door. Nobody spoke, but
Simeon Duval took off his spcctacles
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 lou
of them. He half regretted having
drawn his cartridges, but he was con-
scious of no sense OF fear whatever.
He kept his right hand lightly against
the pocket in which the revolver lay;
it might be useful for intimidation, or
even for self-defense.
"Well, we got you, Meestair Askew, v
sneered Simeon. "Now 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 back
where YOU come from. Else we kill
you tonight. What you say? You are
alone here, no police, and every one
hate you. If we kill you every one
swear you try to kill Black Pierre, an
my brudder, an me. Now what you
say?"
II haven't come here to say, but tc
give your brother a thrashing," all
swered Hilary scornfully. 1.-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
hundred dollar, you damn police spy
You go now, Ell? What you say?'
Hilary wheeled upon Leblanc anc
Pierre. "And these men-what are
they doing here? You want three mer
to help you kill me. eh, Simeon"
He did not want to parley, but II
. spite of his eagerness his judgment
told him that he was in perilous SIT
uation. He must taunt them till the!
lost their heads; that would give hin
an advantage.
"You, Leblanc, want your lease
again, I suppose, you thief" he said
, "You, Pierre, didn't get enough of
hiding that day l caught you cutting
= down nv trees. There's another com
ing to you in minute or two. Simeon
y If I'd been you I'd have picked some
: men who could help me fight if l wa!
, afraid, instead"
r He got no further, for at that mo
ment, taking the initiative, he sprang
p His fists dashed full into Simeon
, face, right and left, almost together
h Simeon toppled backward; his hea'
: struck the edge of the stall behin'
p him, and he dropped moaning to tn
e floor and lay there.
;. Passing him. Hilary leaped for Louis
4 but the agile little man eluded hin
and darted down the middle Of tn
n stable. Before he could quite recove
n himself Leblanc and Pierre spran
q from behind. AS Hilary swung side
l. wise he saw the knife in Pierre's hant
+ He thrust his arm up, and the blow
J. diverted, glanced, the knife ripping hi
l. sleeve open. Leblanc, also with
/ knife, was springing from the othe
9 side. Hilary sized up the situation wit
d Judgment for which he could neve
J. afterward account. Dashing his fist
d upward, he caught Pierre under tn
chin, forcing his head back; at tn
s same time he grasped the wrist whic
l. held the knife and swung SO as to il
= terpose the outlaws body betwee
e himself and Lebianc's blow. AS l.
e blanc struck again Hilary turned. she
n tering himself behind Pierre, one han
d under his chin. the other holding bac
], the wrist, so that Lebancs short, sta
e, bling strokes always fell short, beir
aimed around Pierre's body.
Y. Backing into the stall adjacent
II the one in which Simeon had falle
o Hilary in this manner continued