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and glancing up now and then I saw that Graeme was being hard
pressed。 Men would leap； two and three at a time； upon the
barricade； and Graeme's arms would shoot out； and over they would
topple upon the heads of those nearest。 It was a great sight to
see him standing alone with a smile on his face and the light of
battle in his eye； coolly meeting his assailants with those
terrific； lightning…like blows。 In fifteen minutes my work was
done。
'What next？' I asked。 'How do we get out？'
'How is the door？' he replied。
I looked through the port…hole and said； 'A crowd of men waiting。'
'We'll have to make a dash for it； I fancy；' he replied cheerfully；
though his face was covered with blood and his breath was coming in
short gasps。
'Get down the bars and be ready。' But even as he spoke a chair
hurled from below caught him on the arm； and before he could
recover； a man had cleared the barricade and was upon him like a
tiger。 It was Idaho Jack。
'Hold the barricade；' Graeme called out； as they both went down。
I sprang to his place； but I had not much hope of holding it long。
I had the heavy oak bar of the door in my hands； and swinging it
round my head I made the crowd give back for a few moments。
Meantime Graeme had shaken off his enemy； who was circling about
him upon his tip…toes； with a long knife in his hand； waiting for a
chance to spring。
'I have been waiting for this for some time； Mr。 Graeme；' he said
smiling。
'Yes；' replied Graeme； 'ever since I spoiled your cut…throat game
in 'Frisco。 How is the little one？' he added sarcastically。
Idaho's face lost its smile and became distorted with fury as he
replied； spitting out his words； 'Sheiswhere you will be before
I am done with you。'
'Ah！ you murdered her too！ You'll hang some beautiful day； Idaho；'
said Graeme； as Idaho sprang upon him。
Graeme dodged his blow and caught his forearm with his left hand
and held up high the murderous knife。 Back and forward they swayed
over the floor； slippery with whisky； the knife held high in the
air。 I wondered why Graeme did not strike； and then I saw his
right hand hung limp from the wrist。 The men were crowding upon
the barricade。 I was in despair。 Graeme's strength was going
fast。 With a yell of exultant fury Idaho threw himself with all
his weight upon Graeme； who could only cling to him。 They swayed
together towards me； but as they fell I brought down my bar upon
the upraised hand and sent the knife flying across the room。
Idaho's howl of rage and pain was mingled with a shout from below；
and there； dashing the crowd right and left； came old Nelson；
followed by Abe； Sandy； Baptiste； Shaw； and others。 As they
reached the barricade it crashed down and； carrying me with it；
pinned me fast。
Looking out between the barrels； I saw what froze my heart with
horror。 In the fall Graeme had wound his arms about his enemy and
held him in a grip so deadly that he could not strike； but Graeme's
strength was failing； and when I looked I saw that Idaho was slowly
dragging both across the slippery floor to where the knife lay。
Nearer and nearer his outstretched fingers came to the knife。 In
vain I yelled and struggled。 My voice was lost in the awful din；
and the barricade held me fast。 Above me； standing on a barrel…
head； was Baptiste； yelling like a demon。 In vain I called to him。
My fingers could just reach his foot； and he heeded not at all my
touch。 Slowly Idaho was dragging his almost unconscious victim
toward the knife。 His fingers were touching the blade point； when；
under a sudden inspiration； I pulled out my penknife； opened it
with my teeth； and drove the blade into Baptiste's foot。 With a
blood…curdling yell he sprang down and began dancing round in his
rage； peering among the barrels。
'Look！ look！' I was calling in agony； and pointing； 'for heaven's
sake； look！ Baptiste！'
The fingers had closed upon the knife； the knife was already high
in the air； when； with a shriek； Baptiste cleared the room at a
bound； and； before the knife could fall； the little Frenchman's
boot had caught the uplifted wrist； and sent the knife flying to
the wall。
Then there was a great rushing sound as of wind through the forest；
and the lights went out。 When I awoke； I found myself lying with
my head on Graeme's knees； and Baptiste sprinkling snow on my face。
As I looked up Graeme leaned over me； and； smiling down into my
eyes； he said
'Good boy！ It was a great fight； and we put it up well'； and then
he whispered； 'I owe you my life； my boy。'
His words thrilled my heart through and through； for I loved him as
only men can love men； but I only answered
'I could not keep them back。'
'It was well done；' he said； and I felt proud。 I confess I was
thankful to be so well out of it； for Graeme got off with a bone in
his wrist broken； and I with a couple of ribs cracked； but had it
not been for the open barrel of whisky which kept them occupied for
a time； offering too good a chance to be lost； and for the timely
arrival of Nelson； neither of us had ever seen the light again。
We found Craig sound asleep upon his couch。 His consternation on
waking to see us torn； bruised； and bloody was laughable； but he
hastened to find us warm water and bandages； and we soon felt
comfortable。
Baptiste was radiant with pride and light over the fight； and
hovered about Graeme and me giving vent to his feelings in admiring
French and English expletives。 But Abe was disgusted because of
the failure at Slavin's； for when Nelson looked in； he saw Slavin's
French…Canadian wife in charge； with her baby on her lap； and he
came back to Shaw and said； 'Come away； we can't touch this'； and
Shaw； after looking in； agreed that nothing could be done。 A baby
held the fort。
As Craig listened to the account of the fight； he tried hard not to
approve； but he could not keep the gleam out of his eyes； and as I
pictured Graeme dashing back the crowd thronging the barricade till
he was brought down by the chair； Craig laughed gently； and put his
hand on Graeme's knee。 And as I went on to describe my agony while
Idaho's fingers were gradually nearing the knife； his face grew
pale and his eyes grew wide with horror。
'Baptiste here did the business；' I said； and the little Frenchman
nodded complacently and said
'Dat's me for sure。'
'By the way； how is your foot？' asked Graeme。
'He's fuss…rate。 Dat's what you callone bite ofofdat leel
bees； he's dere； you put your finger dere； he's not dere！what you
call him？'
'Flea！' I suggested。
'Oui！' cried Baptiste。 'Dat's one bite of flea。'
'I was thankful I was under the barrels；' I replied； smiling。
'Oui！ Dat's mak' me ver mad。 I jump an' swear mos' awful bad。
Dat's pardon me； M'sieu Craig； heh？'
But Craig only smiled at him rather sadly。 'It was awfully risky；'
he said to Graeme； 'and it was hardly worth it。 They'll get more
whisky； and anyway the League is gone。'
'Well；' said Graeme with a sigh of satisfaction； 'it is not quite
such a one…sided affair as it was。'
And we could say nothing in reply； for we could hear Nixon snoring
in the next room； and no one had heard of Billy； and there were
others of the League that we knew were even now down at Slavin's。
It was thought best that all should remain in Mr。 Craig's shack； not
knowing what might happen； and so we lay where we could and we
needed none to sing us to sleep。
When I awoke； stiff and sore； it was to find breakfast ready and
old man Nelson in charge。 As we were seated； Craig came in； and I
saw that he was not the man of the night before。 His courage had
come back； his face was quiet and his eye clear； he was his own man
again。
'Geordie has been out all night； but has failed to find Billy；' he
announced quietly。
We did not talk much； Graeme and I worried with our broken bones；
and the others suffered from a general morning depression。 But；
after breakfast； as the men were beginning to move； Craig took down
his Bible； and saying
'Wait a few minutes； men！' he read slowly； in his beautiful clear
voice； that psalm for all fighters
'God is our refuge and strength；'