The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-11-22

club in his hand. 1t was the watch
man.
The Waterman, seeing Buckford
emerging from the cellar he was sup
posed to be guardian over, rushed to
him.
"Well, well! Who are you? What
do you want?'
FLUSH, my friendw whispered Buck
ford quickly. Il am pursued by enc
mics. Is there police officer near?'
"No; they passed ten minutes ago"
81 must escape. Can you not help
me?"
"Help! Me help? What can / doT'
At that moment there was shout
up the street and Buckford saw Ian
terms. The party under Reber or the
other had turned the corner.
TOO latew groaned Buckford. stay!
There is one chance Here is n franc
piece. Lend me your hat. jacket and
club l will watch your buildings
while you go drink my health"
'Le Diable. | may get into trouble.
But franc piecel Here! Give 1t to
m,s. Quick! Get into the jacket! The
hat. Pull it down over your eyes.
Speak as little as possible. Ahr'
A stolid Waterman sat on the lum-
Der pile and bareheaded Frenchman
was starting off to drink on the 5
! franc piece.
"Ho! My keysr' he exclaimed. Il
must take my keys"
leave them; they will be safe. II
any one suspects, the keys will prove
that am the Waterman"
Good. But do not use the large
brass one 1t is TO the floor in the end
building. There NJ. de Bullion has his
| office. He is there now. He must not
! know"
Il will not disturb him. Now go"
The Waterman went numbering off,
none too soon The searching party
in. the cellar came out on to the street
and met the other that had gone half
way round the square. \ short dis
lance away the third party was seen
approaching.
''IIere Nj. lie Never Sleep" said one
leader, Have you seen man come
out of these cellarsY
mon Dieu. l just saw a score" re-
piled Buckford, almost in a tremor lest
his French should not be such as to
pass muster But the man hunters
were too excited to notice just then a
little thing like the accent of watch
man in a leather jacket and slouch hat.
at is strange, devilish strange" said
one. How could he vanish so com
pletely? Was he a magcianT'
You! With your magicians! said
another. He was a flesh and blood
man, but a quick one. Did we not see
his blood on the broken Window"
Buckford trembled He had wiped
the blood from his hands and face with
his handkerchief, but now kept his
hands concealed and his face screened
from the light lest show Of blood
should betray him.
well, are we to stand here till he
comes and asks us to kill him?' asked
one of the party. "In moment the
police will be here. And then what
ehY
VERY we'll" said man owning the
voice Buckford had heard in the door
"Have some one wait here to watch
We will continue"
"Have you any objection stay awake,
to our company
"NOne. | shall be pleased" replied
/ Buckford
-Four men were told off to remain
there on watch. The others separated
into groups and went in various direc-
tons.
Buckford was in an agony of appre-
tension. If the real Waterman return
ed while these fellows were there,
what might not happen, and especially
If the Waterman was drunk?
The American thought over every
possible method of defeating his foes
that came into his head. Nothing prom
ised success. If the police came that
way, he would certainly call for assist
ance, but to call for the police when
| there was no police in sight would be
/ folly. He would simply be bounced
upon and slain before the police could
arrive.
An hour passed while he was thus
wild with apprehension, and then
drunken whistle was heard coming.
Here comes some one. We must
question him." said one of the watch
ers.
Buckford looked toward the APP
preaching man. AS he passed under
street light Wallace noted that he wore
no hat.
Horrors! 1t was the Waterman, and
he was far from sober.
And now, with certain destruction
staring him in the face, Buckford Wal
lace thought as he had never thought
before.
To wait there till the drunken watch
man came and demanded his keys, his
jacket, his SLOUGH hat, would be to sit
silently inviting death.
He rose, stretched himself, yawned
and said:
"My friends, should have been re-
lleved an hour ago. My assistant some
times stops at NJ. Jacques. i leave
the place in your care while go to see
If he is there. / request, however, that
you allow no one to enter the build
f,,1re