The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-11-22
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u from that den of thieves and
lT5SSTSI cutthroats was so sudden and
- Of so startling nature that 1t
might well be supposed that he had
FALLEN upon one of those relics of the
dark ages-a house of mysterious ar
chitecture, In which the very walls re-
volve on pivots trapdoors open where
no cracks can be seen and. stone pillars
hide secret passages from one den Of
iniquity TO another.
But, however plausible that theory
may be, it was not the case The ex-
PLANTATION of the accident to Buckford
is astonishingly simple.
1t happened that a very rich and
equally eccentric person named Nj. dc
Bullion had purchased a large piece of
ground in that quarter on which he in
tended to build large modern apart
ment houses. This piece of ground
fronted on three streets and adjoined
on the Rue de Mont-Rouge the building
In which the brotherhood of crime held
Its meetings. In making a new and
complete survey it was discovered that
: portion of that building really stood
on land owned by the person from
whom Nj. de Bullion was making his
purchase. 1t therefore must be includ-
ed in the sale. The proper steps were
taken, and NJ. de Bullion became the
owner of about Is feet of the eastern
end Of the building.
When all the old buildings on the
newly purchased site were torn down
to make way for the splendid modern
edlfices, the - feet were torn down
also
This cut off two rooms Of that build
ing, and the door that had formerly
opened into one Of these rooms now
opened out through a naked wall OF
dirty plaster over the cellar.
This was the door through which
Buckford had fallen. 1t was built to
open outward. When Buckford leaned
against it, 1t had given way and pre-
cipitated him into the old cellar.
Most unfortunately, as will be seen,
he struck upon some window sashes
which had been placed there for safe
keeping. These were smashed utterly
by his weight and pieces of the broken
glass cut his hands and face.
For a moment the young man was
so bewildered that he did not know
really what had happened to him. He
fancied that he was in a place much
like that pictured in the opening lines
of this chapter. He was I'm total dark
ness. There was damp earthly smell
in the air. a rat ran across him.
Either the sashes broke his fall or he
was possessed OF a very hard skull,
20 hn To
sat up in the darkness and tried to
look around. He could not do this,
SO he felt.
His fingers came I'm contact with the
sharp edges of broken glass.
At that moment he heard a voice
above his head.
Curses on the houndr' the voice
was saying. where could he have
gone? He has wounded Vandal and
killed Blouet Get lantern, some
body. Don't let him get away"
This remark stirred the blood in
Buckford. 1t brought to his mind the
fact that that was just what he want
ed to do-to get away before they dis
covered him.
He rose to his feet and stretched his
arms above his head. After walking
a short distance he felt beams and
Orders.
''Hellor' he said to himself Il must
have fallen somehow into a cellar"
Then he saw the CLEAN of lantern
shining from a door in wall some dis
lance above.
"Ah, ha! They have explained the
I'll
chuckle. Mighty lucky accident for
me-"
"Come, now, Pierre" came the voice
from the door. you take the lantern
and lead a party through the cellars.
/ will lead another to the right, around
the square, Reber, here, will lead an
other to the left. We will meet on the
street in the rear. He cannot get
away"
Buckford did not wait to hear any
more. He gathered from what had
been said that the cellar he was in
communicated with the street in the
rear. Taking his direction from the
door, where the light could still be
seen, he started as briskly as possible
toward the rear.
He clambered over debris of all
kinds. Cellar walls had been partially
destroyed, and loose stones lay all
about. Old foundations and party walls
were wiped out, yet enough old or new
walls were standing to enable him to
constantly keep screen between him
self and the lantern. This had now
been lowered into the cell. He heard
voices behind him.
The searching party, however, made
slower progress than he did, notwith-
standing they had a lantern. They
were spreading out and searching ev-
cry nook and Granny of the cellars as
they went. He, on the other hand, was
making all speed straight ahead.
He soon found himself in a part
where there was less debris and ruin
and more of the newly built walls. 1t
= was the cellar under the building on
the rear street