The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1926-07-23
Chapter Xl-Continued
wNu Service

10
vairly she was fighting now, not to
strike him or to escape, but to get her
breath. She tried to cry out again,
but this time no sound came from be-
tween her gasping lips.
Again he laughed, and as he laughed,
ne heard the door open. Was 1t the
wind? He turned, still holding her In
his arms.
In the open door stood Pierrot.
During that terrible space which
followed an eternity of time rolled
slowly through the little cabin on the
Gray Loon-that eternity which lies
somewhere between life and death
and which is sometimes melted out to
human life In seconds instead Of
cons.
In those seconds Pierrot did not
move from where he stood in the door
way. McTaggart, huddled over with
the weight in his arms, and staring
at Pierrot, did not move. But the
Willows eyes were opening. And a
convulsive culver ran through the
body of Baree, where he lay near the
wall. There was not the sound Of a
breath. And then, in that silence, a
great gasping sob came from Nepeese.
Then Pierrot stirred to life. He
spoke, and his voice was not like
Pierrot's. 1t was strange voice.
'DThe great God has sent me back in
time, m'sieu," he said. II travelled by
way Of the east, and saw your trail
where it turned this way"
No. that was not like Pierrot's voice |!
A chill ran through McTaggart now.
and slowly he let go of Nepeese. She
fell to the floor. Slowly he straight
ened.
SIS itnot true, msieu?" said Pierrot
again. II have come in timer"
What power was it-what great
fear, perhaps, that made McTaggart
nod his head, that made his thick lips
form huskily the words, "Yes-in
time" And yet 1t was not fear. 1t
was something greater, something
q more all-powerful than that. And
Pierrot said, in that same strange
voice:
II thank the great Cod"
The eyes of mailman met the eyes
Of mailman now. Between them was
death. Both saw 1t. Both thought
that they saw the direction in which
Its bony finger pointed. Both were
certain. McTaggart's hand did not go
to the pistol In his holster, and Pier
rot did not touch the l-nife in his belt.
When they came together, 1t was
throat to throat-two beasts now,
the fury and strength Of the wolf, the
cat, and the panther.
McTaggart was the bigger and
heavier man, giant in strength; yet
in the face of Pierrot's fury he lurched
back over the table and went down
with crash. Many times in his life
he had fought, but he had never felt
a grip at his throat like the grip of
Pierrot's hands. They almost crushed
the life from him at once. His neck
snapped-a little more and 1t would
have broken. He struck out blindly
from his back, and twisted himself to
throw off the weight of the halfbreed's
body. But Pierrot was fastened there,
as Sekoosew the ermine had fastened
itself at the jugular of the partridge,
and Mush McTaggart's jaws slowly
swung open, and his face began to
turn from red to purple.
Cold air rushing through the door,
pierrot's voice and the sound of bat
tie reused Nepeese quickly to con-
seriousness and the power to raise her
self from the floor. She had fallen
near Baree, and as she lifted her head,
Der eyes rested for moment on the
dog before they went to the fighting
men. Baree was alive! Ills body was
twitching; his eyes were open; he
made an effort to raise his head as
she was looking at him.
Then she dragged herself to her
knees and turned to the men, and
Pierrot, even in the blood-red fury OF
his desire to kill, must have heard the
sharp cry of Joy that came from her
when she saw that 1t was the Factor
from Lac Balm who was underneath.
with tremendous effort she stag
gered to her feet, and for a few mo-
ments she stood swaying unsteadlly as
her brain and her body readjusted
themselves. Even as she looked down
upon the blackening face from which
Pierrots fingers were choking the life
Bush McTaggart's hand was cropping
blindIy for his pistol. He found It,
Unseen by Pierrot, he dragged II
from its holster 1t was one of the
black devils of chance that favored
him again, for In his excitement he
had not snapped the safety shut after
shooting BARGE. Now he had only
strength left to pull the trigger. Twice
his forefinger closed. Twice there
came deadened explosion close to
Pierrot's body.
In Pierrot's face Nepeese saw what
had happened Her heart died in her