Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York — page 77: what you’re looking at

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

OLD SPECIE. 69 As it had a spring lock, there could be no doubt as to it having fastened then and there. How was it he found it ajar now? Could the young man—but no, that seemed impos- sible, for he had no means of opening the heavy iron door. Probably. when he came to his senses, he would be forced to believe the whole thing an ugly dream, and that he had simply fallen insensible near the tomb of his beloved. But the open door—this was something that ends ed an explanation. Instead of wasting time further, the detective at once descended the steps. There he immediately discovered the secret of the whole affair. A key still hung in the lock. Ben Bolt had forgotten to take it with him when he hurried away. Old Specie began to suspect something, and entered the tomb prepared to meet with another surprise. He found it. The coffin lid was off. Had he been before a judge and jury he would have sworn that he screwed it on securely just Eke fore they started to leave the place. Unless his eyes deceived him basely it had bes tampered with. There on the stone floor lay the identical screw- driver with which they had worked. This also Ben had dropped when he sprang up the: steps at the sound of a voice addressing his compan- ion. Some one had brought it into the stone tomb and removed the coffin lid. Gomicbooks (e(0) =|