Bats in the Wall; or, The Mystery of Trinity Church-yard

the strange sight befor

s of the coins displayed before him among the masses

w ones at that, as fresh as on the da

corner of Cherry street with all possible speed, as had the two boys but a moment before, nev

Hook, stooping down and examining this singular find. "There's something crooked h

ollars in turn. "Webster National Bank, as I'm a sinner, stamped on the bottom of ea

even as

letters, the name of the Web

asket and emptied out the rema

er size appeared, one e

e sight of a well-dressed man picking dollars out of the snow, for the detective was now tossing into th

he side door of the market opposite with an air of authority, which suddenly changed into one of mee

m to the Oak street station. They are part of

he officer's ears alone, while the little crowd which

policeman, nervously. "I just went

fairs, and you need have no fear of me. Now, tell me quick, what sort of a place is that s

s concerned, for the interior of the saloon, a moment ago ablaze with light beh

e," replied the

u know

of t

on outside of re

rooked lot goes in there, Mr. Hook; river thieves and confidence men, to

. "Now go on with your basket. Tell the c

this brief conversation, and though he felt that he might be mistaken, it certainly seemed to him tha

the door and t

locked, as he

after blow upon it, with an evident

tity he knew perfectly well wo

d by entirely too m

om within, and a head covered with a fiery

' what d'

ght of his body against the door. "I have a few questions for

f an honest man on the Sabbath morn? T

d have no time to waste in idle words. Your place was running full blast a mome

an ob

rkened saloon with its ruffianly

s in such a position, but his was a nature

uched the gas burner above his head, and in

y type found in this part of the city-there w

ed individual occup

he asked, at the same time c

eply, "and I'll bet it's go

uld happen to lose your license. Who was that old ma

place is closed. I'm just af

w, answer my questions, and I promise that you shall not be interfered with

m from a crow. He just stopp

happened to

ose I

was it that he en

ebbe-mebbe not

don't k

I tould ye

d that entered this place a moment before this

eeper, with the air of a man relieved to be questioned

is Mrs.

the house in the rear; she passed throug

of a pers

ns. She lives all alone by hersilf, pays her rint promptly, and goes an' comes whin sh

aleb Hook, abruptly. "I'll

ack dure, cross the yard, and

ahead and show me the way to this woman's r

for an instant, and then m

man not to be trifled w

gh with this business as soon as I can, for I've so

and led the way acro

hem. Connecting with the street was a

d that the snow was much trodden down by feet, as though several pers

ng the door of the rear house and a

ve followed

tor of the Donegal Shades knocked at the door

no answer

was totally dark, save for the dim starlight which found

n, rapping smartly again. "She can't be a

aleb Hook had shadowed was with

he man beside him, not a sound

come over him-a wholly unaccountable feeling, s

h a sudden desire to penetrate behind that plain deal door, upon whic

, he rapped smartly himself, at the s

unexpectedly that both the detective and P. Sl

from his lips the saloon-keepe

eral hair upon his fiery pate seeming to rise with terror as he star

lay a fearful, sickening sight, rendered more plainly visible by the light of a guttering candle standin

ted, for the sight which he now beheld wa

hrough the streets lay before him in the dim li