Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-19
CHAPTER III.
THE MuRDEREp MILLIoNAIRE

TTa IHE exit of Buckford Wallace
4 L from that den of thieves and
fISS.SNl cutthroats was so sudden and
~ Of SO startling nature that it
might we'll be supposed that he had
fallen upon one of those relics of the
dark ages-a house of mysterious ar
chltecture, 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 De, 1t was not the case. The ex-
PLANTATION of the accident to Buckford
is astonishingly simple.
1t happened that very rich and
equally eccentric person named NJ: dc
Bullion had purchased 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 adioined
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 thai
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
edltices, the Is 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 naked wall of
dirty plaster over the cellar
This was the door through which
Buckford Lad fallen. 1t was built to
open outward. When Buckford leaned
against it, ii 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 We're smashed utterly
by his weght, and pieces of the broken
glass cut mis- hands and face
For moment the young man was
SO bewildered that he did not know
really what had happened to him. He
fancied that he was in place much
like that pictured in the opening lines
of this chapter. He was in total dark
ness. There was, a damp earthly smell
in the air. A rat ran across him.
Either the sashes broke his fall or lie
was possessed of very hard skull,
for he did not lose consciousness. He
sat up in the darkness and tried to
look around. He could not do this,
so he felt.
His fingers came in contact with the
sharp edges of broken glass.
AT that moment he heard a voice
above his head
Curses on the houndn' the voice
was saying. where could he have
gone? He has wounded yandal and
killed Blouet. Get a lantern, some
pots' Doh iSl uilH sscl tNdy
This remark stirred the blood in
Puckford. 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
girdegs.
"Hellow he said to himself. II must
have fallen somehow into Il cellar
Then he saw the CLEAN of q lantern
shining from a door in wall some dis
lance above.
"Ah, ha! They have explained the
thing to me now" he said. with a
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