The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-04-12

Several things, Granny, but not the
one seek just now.
I'm dreadful sorry. III open the doo1
for you; it's got funny kind Of catch.
Il won't trouble you; I'm going down.
stairs"
"Bless you, this is the last floor"
but You have cellsr?"
Not q Sign of one.
Il know betteri It was in the cellar OF
this house that captured one Of the
Cronin suspects last spring. Out OF my
way"
With o muttered curse the old woman
complied, and Hyland was soon descend
ing Q rickety flight of stairs, toward q
dark and exceedingly bad smelling cellar.
When its damp, almost slimy bottom
was reached, he produced and lighted
diminutive but rather powerful dark
lantern, by the light of which he began
an investigation Of the subterranean
place.
It was divided into number Of rooms,
and had once, evidently, been used as O
human habitation, tn ough this must have
been before the grading of the street had
shut off the supply of light and air.
through the place. He encountered
no end Of debris, but no sign OF life ex-
cept huge rats which scampered about.
Satisfied that his quest was vain one,
he prepared to return to the upper world.
Just then peculiar sound smote his
hearing. He listened intently, and upon
its repetition startled visibly.
"A groan!" he muttered. There's no
doubt Of it. But Where?"
Once more he fruitlessly examined the
moldering rooms.
He was strangely puzzled and almost
despairing when, for the third time, ne
heard the ominous sound. -.
Studying the direction from whence 1t
proceeded, he was not long in solving the
mystery.
In one of the rooms, behind a pile OF
rubbish, he discovered an opening IN the
stone wall which separated tho CELLAR
from the one next adjacent.
THE work of q crook who was close
pressed" commented the detective. le
was lucky that my Cronin man didn't hnd
it last spring. Well, here's for it."
Cautiously and with considerable diff
Guilty the officer crept through the irregu-
larly shaped opening.
Once again in standing posture he
flashed his lantern about to gain some
idea of the surroundings.
BE had barely discerned that he was
in long basement undivided by parti.
tions, when he saw lying on the ground
the semblance of human form.
Cole Wintersl" cried he, excitedly, q
moment later, as he stood over the inan-
innate form of our hero.
Setting down the lantern the detective
began systematic examinationof the
young man.
Hes alive, and can see no wounds,
or bruises to account for his condition, :"
mused he, perple1edly. -.
Just then the open trap-door above him
attracted bis eye.
aHa! see! In trying to escape he fel /
down here and is suffering from the
shock. I'll soon revive him.
Hyland took out small vial labeled
ammonia, and poured little Of the pun.
gent fluid upon his handkerchief.
This he applied to the nostrils OF our
hero.
While I'm waiting for it to take ef-
feet I may as we'll search him, decided
the highly elated officer.
drawn from one Of his coat pockets q
small bundle Of saws and files, Of the
kind used by burglars.
I've got him dead to rights, chuckled
Hyland, immeasurably pleased at the
evidence Of crookedness. I'll bet he's
got jimmy in his boots.
A hurried examination proved this
theory to be incorrect, but 1t served also
to reveal an object in one of Coles boot
legs.
In a trice Hyland had drawn it from
its hiding place.
Great heavens!.. he calculated, his
hands trembling like ON aspen leaf in the
wind. @The missing bondsl Ten, twen7
ty-I believe they're all here. Goodl
Capital! Ny promotion"
A groan interrupted him. Mat Hyland
was humane man, and the sound OF suf-
fering recalled him to his prisoner.
He replaced the saws and files in Coles
pocket, thrust the bonds into his own,
and having removed the handkerchief,
raised the inanimate form IN his arms.
He breathes freer." soliloquized the
detective, and is in no danger OF dying.
want to keep this matter to myself for
the present. I'll 60 to the nearest drug
store for restoratives. When take him
away from here it will be with full con-
fession and the ames Of his nccomplices,
for I'm sure he had one ct least.
He laid Cole back upon the ground,
and glided away TO the opening in the
wall. Two minutes later no had gained
the sidewalk and was hurrying up tha
street.
He met with q number of provoking
delays. The druggist was an unreason-
able time in giving. him the articles he
demanded. At the doorway
he encountered brother officer, who for
some minutes engaged him in CONVERSE
tion about an important matter. Lastly,
small boy ran against him. dashing the
package from his hand and breaking the
inolosed bottles upon the sidewalk.
By the time he had duplicated the re-
storatives fully half m hour had elapsed
he lost no time in returning to the dis
NAL cellar.
As he crawled through the opening in
the wall, and darted forward the rays OF
his lantern, q cry Of mingled chagrin and
dismay swept his white lips
The trsp-door in the floor was closed;
spd Cole Winters had disappeared from
the place.
CHAPTER VIII.
ON THE TRAIL.
When the trio of guilty and desperate
men, the triangle of crime, we may say,
departed from the Clark street house,
leaving behind them, as they supposed,
tbo daod bodv NJ Coia Winfers they Dya.