The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1920-02-28

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III break his head open and run hin
in afterward."
Few OF those present understood his
exact meaning but an ominous grow
showed that this declaration was ap
preciated at more or less its correct
value. The mob began moving for.
ward. For d few moments the situa
ton looked menacing. Hilary took the
aggressive, as usual.
"Ah, Leblanc!" he called out. "How
do you like your new job? I'm start
ing in to cut out that limit you
handed back to me. There's some
good timber there, Leblanc"
Leblanc snarled and started for
ward, shaking his fist and muttering
However, he could not get through the
press, and 1T Is not probable that he
tried very hard to do so.
"Well, that's about all, Simeon"
Hilary called. Il just came in to look
at your place and give your brother a
! friendly warning, because | never
warn when I'm ready to strike"
b.
He amt afraid of you" said Simeon,
who kept as cool as Hilary Hilary
intuitively summed him up as the most
dangerous of his opponents. But ]
guess you amt going like that, Mees-
tair Askew," continued the liquor
seller. 81 ask you to have a drink on
me an you say no. Now you going to
buy drinks all round, ehY
Hilary laughed out loud. "Not for
your crowd. Simeon" he answered
Simeon planted his fat body heavily
before him. "What you say? You buy
drinks, eh?" he demanded truculently.
Hilary put his hands on Simeon's
shoulders and pushed him bodily back
ward. Simeon, who was planted
rather than stood, at first resisted as
tree might resist a gentle shove with
the hand but he could not resist the
strength behind Hilary's shoulders
and he began to sway and went top
ping backward, landing, still rigid,
upon the floor.
Some Of the girls shrieked, and the
lumbermen came surging forward
toward Hilary and LATE and began to
hustle them Yet. knowing Hilary's
reputation, they hesitated moment
before initiating hostilities; and that
moment brought an unexpected inter-
ruption.
For a boy ran screaming in at the
door, and what he cried startled the
entire assemblage. Simeon, who had
been struggling to his feet, was upon
them In an instant. But before the
crowd had recovered from its confu-
sion two officers in the uniform Of the
revenue department came running In.
They carried revolvers In their hands,
and they pounced upon Simeon and
had him at their mercy in an instant.
At once the whole scene was dis
solved. Men and girls ran this way
and that, wildly flying, panicky mass.
It was one thing to drink and brawl In
Ste. Marie. but quite another to defy
the tireless officials Of the revenue de-
partment. who patroled the river at
uncertain intervals. whose arms were
very long.
Whether any one except Simeon was
wanted in that particular place was
never known, for 1t was all the officers
could do to hold on to him. while the
crowd stampeded past them toward
the door, cursing. struggling mass,
carrying LATE and Hilary along with 1T.
In the street they pulled themselves
out of the crush and took refuge in an
alley. All Ste Marie was in turmoil.
News of the raid had spread every
where with lightning swlftness. Lights
were being extinguished, liquor hidden
away, lumbermen and girls were run
ming in wild panic through the streets.
Suddenly they perceived Marie Du-
pont among the crowd. Her eyes were
wide with fright. and she was strug-
Cling helplessly in the crowd, borne
this way and that by the conflicting
currents. Hilary forced his way toward
her and dragged her into the alley.
There she broke down; she fell upon
her knees in the mud, rocking to and
fro and moaning.
Hilary bent over her. LATE saw that
his face was stern. 81 am going to take
you hone." he said.
She looked up at him piteously. She |
to recognize him. but was too /
terrified to understand. He drew her |
to her feet and. with LATE on the other |
side, they began to make their way |
quickly toward the beach by narrow
passage among the cottages.
But as they started Lafe looked back
and saw, wedged in the crowd behind
them, Jean Baptiste. He had been try
ing to reach the girl, but it was impos-
sble to move foot In that struggling
human torrent. He saw them, and his
eyes were dilated with impotent fury.
There was murder In them as they fell
upon Hilary. LATE shuddered.
His impulse was to wait for the man.
but he recognized that Baptiste was
beyond all reason and self-control. He
had mlsinterpreted Hilary's action;
he only thing now was to elude him
and get the girl away before Baptiste
could follow. He was glad Hilary bad