The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1902-05-14
CHAPTER w.
Bosso DUvALLY. CAPTAIN OF THE
GUARDS

10 see a mob OF his enemies and 10
whom the sight OF two uniformed police
officers was most welcome, the words OF
the gendarme carried no special signi-
fcance. He saw at once the mistake that
had been made. Instead OF the agent OF
the prefect OF police he was looked upon
as the murderer OF NJ. de Bullion. He
even smiled as he thought OF the natural
ness of the error.
"You are mistaken" he said, coming
forward from his hiding place without
fear. II have done nothing TO cause my
arrest / came I'm here TO escape mob
OF rascals who were trying TO murder
me. / found this man sitting dead in his
chair"
"oh. that is a lie!" shouted the excited
watchman. "IIe came TO me with a story
like that. I. like fool. loaned him my
leather Jacket, my slouch hat my keys.
even told him which door the big brass
key unlocked. Oh OH"
81 think myself the story is absurd"
said the mounted officer. "One does not
unlock private doors with stolen keys to
escape murderers One comes 10 the po-
lice for protection"
"In my opinion" said the watchman,
"the men he was running away from
'Well. IL will do no good to stand here
and argue" said the officer on the beat.
I'VE must take the fellow TO the depot.
Let him tell his story there"
IF you feel IL TO be your duty to place
me under arrest" said Buckford, and
do not blame you In the least, take me at
once to the prefecture. My adventures to-
night happened while acting under in
structions from the prefect of police. He
"a m understand the whole thing
.''Oh. II that's the case, IL can soon be
settled" said the officer. Come with
me-"
And l." said the other policeman Twill
remain until the arrival OF the commits
saire. You will OF course make the re-
port"
''I will attend to that. Now come, my
fine fellow. 10 the prefect. I am anxious
TO see whether you tell the truth or not"
But stay! cried the watchman. my
leather jacket and my. slouch hat"
"well. what about them?"
II want them"
"oh. indeedl Well. what are you. an
accomplice of this fellow?'
THE good God forbid! But I want
what belongs TO me-
'"You will get them--after we are
through using them. A pretty watchman
you are! You are as guilty OF M. de Bull
lions death. as his murderer. Your neg
lect made IL possible"
The watchman and one officer remained
on the scene while Buckford. In the GUS
tody OF the officer. left for the prefecture.
1t was nearly midnight when they ar
rived and the prefect was not TO be seen
till morning. The officer made his re-
port, and the prisoner. against his vigor-
Gus protest, was thrust into cell 10
wait till morning.
He spent most wretched night and as
the weary hours dragged themselves along
the humor OF his situation died away, He
now felt that he was In a most difficult
situation. thousand questions crowded
into his busy brain. Suppose the prefect
did not recall his face! Suppose the pre-
feet did not believe his story! All depend
ed on the prefect.
In the morning he was taken into the
office of the prefect. He found there, be-
side the prefect OF police, the chief OF the
detective service and commissaire The
three looked at him with cold, condem-
ming eyes as he entered
He also saw standing little apart, the
policeman who had arrested him the
."Is this the MANI" asked the prefect OF
police.
.'That is the man." replied the police
man.
Relate the circumstances OF his ar
rest and explain why he was held 10 see
the depot OF detention"
II was patrolling my regular post when
was accosted by very excited man,
said che policeman. "He was. IL seemed.
watehman employed by NJ. de Bullion,
who was building the large apartment
houses In that district. He told me that
n man had taken his leather Jacket and
hat and keys; that he had gone away
with them: that he was now undoubted-
IN trying to rob the houses to which the
KEYS belonged / will explain that some
OF these houses are already erected, while
of the others only the foundations are
up | whisted for assistance and accom-
panied the watchman to the office of M.
de Bullion. II seems that this Nj. de Bull
lion is a peculiar man, who
Never mind that IL viii all be told at
the investigation. what we want now are
the facts concerning this man.
'Weu. we found NJ. dc Bullion dead In
his chair AT his desk This fellow was hid
ing I'm a closet | arrested him. He said he
had not killed M. de BULLION. but had
gone into the place TO escape some enc
mics OF HIS own who had tried 10 XIII
him He also stated that he had been
acting under direct orders from you. NJ.
le Prefect.'
The chief of the detectives and the com
rnissafre looked at the prefect with inter-
rorative eyes. The prefect looked sternly
and scrutinizingly at Buckford.
what orders have ever given you?"
he asked.
why don't you remember meY was
here Yesterday morning and told you
about the conspiracy against the prince
who is I'm Paris incognito'
Are YOU that fellow7 Wen, i must
say you have changed I'm appearance.
But. after all, perhaps II you took of
that leather jacket and washed your
face | could recognize you.
II would be glad Of the chance" re-
piled wallace.
II will give you orders TO that effect.
Now tell us how you came TO be In the
office OF NJ de Bullion"
''Why. | went back to NJ. jacques inn
last night as you instructed me. The
-eepspira tors-had tracked me, II seems.
and knew that I had betrayed them 10
YOU. They did not. however. let me see
this al first. l was invited To meet the
president OF the order. | was taken TO
n room back of n hairdresser's In another
square Here three OF the scounarels
ATTACKED mo and I shot two Of them. In