Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York — page 169: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

OLD SPECIE. > | 161 The man of the house was eying his visitor keenly, as though he saw something in the so-called Jenkins that puzzled him. ‘Be seated, sir.”’ He himself sank into the chair by the table, and his hand began to play nervously with the books, just as the detective had expected. There seemed to be no reason why he should feel sorry for having done just what he did in order to effectually prevent severe measures on the part of the plotters. He sat down, facing Caldwell. _As luck would have it, his face was in the shadow cast by a bronze statue on the table. ‘““Now, Mr. Jenkins, suppose we proceed to busi- ness, ”’ ‘Exactly, sir.’’ ‘‘T received a message from you which stated that you had discovered important facts connected with this family, and that I would find it to my advan- tage to be at home when you called this evening.”’ ‘“You have stated the case with the accuracy of a lawyer, Mr. Caldwell.”’ “No, a lawyer would have beat around the bush for half an hour ere he reached a conclusion in the matter. ’”’ “You are hard on the profession. ”’ ‘‘Let us drop all useless speech. Go straight at the matter and hit the bull’s-eye.’’ “That is your desire?’’ “Tt is. What do you want here to-night?”’ ‘“Money.’’ “Why should I pay you money?” ‘‘Because accident has revealed certain secrets of yours to me.”’ GComichboo gS) co