Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1894-01-26

ploiing the cd building, which was ten
anted by half score OF families, and
presented scene of squalor and wretch
edness that the officer had never seen
surpassed.
His examination, though thorough, was
rapid. He stumbled over drunken men
and women 1ho lay beside empty bottles
and beer cans upon the floor. He invaded
sleeping apartments and tosse about the
heaps Of rags which served as beds.
Find anybody?" crooned the old woman
who rented out the miserable apartments,
as the officer encountered her on the
ground floor.
Sever ] things, Granny, but rot the
one seek just now."
I'm dreadful sorry. I'll open the door
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 cellGr?"
Not sign Of one"
Il know better! It was in the cellar of
this house that l captured one of the
Cronin suspects last spring. Out OF my
way"
With a muttered curse the old woman
complied, and Hyland was soon descend
ing rickety fight of stairs, toward
dark and exceedingly bad smelling cellar.
When its damp almost Shiny bottom
was reached, he produced and lighted
diminutive but rather powerful dark
l0ntern, by the light of which he began
an investig tion of the subterranean
place.
1t was divided into a number of rooms
and b d once, evidently, been used as
human habitatiop, though this must have
been before the grading of the street had
shut off the supply of light and air.
Hurriedly the anxious officer ran
through the place. He encountered
no end of detr,s, but no sign of life ex-
cept huge rats which scampe ed about.
Satisiel th his quest was vain one,
ne prepared to return to the upper world
Just then peculiar sound smote his
herring. He listened iutently, and upon
its repetition startled yisibly.
"a groan!" he muttered. There's no
doubt of it. But where?"
Once more be fruitlessly examined the
moldering rooms.
He was g rangely puzzled ond almost
despairing when. for the third time, he
heard the ominous sound
Studying the 'rection from whence IL
proceeded, he was not long in solving the
mystery.
In one Of the rooms, behind pile OF
rubbish. he discovered an opening in the
stone wall which separated the cellar
from the one next adjacent.
The work of crook who was close
pressed commented the detective. 1T
was lucky that my Cronin man didn't lind
"a ion4 o..,;,oO ANal hoi n for il -
Cautiously and with considerable diff
Guilty the officer crept through the irregu-
larly shaped orening.
Once again in standing posture he
flashed his lantern about to gain some
idea of the sur oundin s.
He had barely discerned that he was
in long basement undivided by partl-
tions, when be s,w lying on the ground
the semblanco of human rm.
Cole Wintersl" cried he, excitedly,
moment later, as he stood over the IMAM
innate form of our hero.
Setting down the lantern the detective
began systematic examination of the
young man.
He's alive, and can see no wounds
or bruises to account for his condition,
mused he, perplexedly.
Just then the open trep"door above MIN
attracted his eye.
"Hal | see! In trying to escape he fel
down here and is suffering from the
shock. III soon revive him.
Hyland took out small vial labeled
ammonia, and poured little of the pun
gent fluid upon his handkerch ef.
This he applied to the nostrils Of cur
hero
while I'm waiting for it to take eff
feet | may as woll search him, decided
the highly elnted officer.
In a moment he had discovered and
drawn from one of his coat pockets
small bundle of saws and files, of the
kind used by burglars.
"I've got him dead 10 rights, chu 'kled
Hyland, immeasurably pleased at the
evidence of crcokedness. Ill bet he's
got jimmy in his boots.
A hurried examination proved this
theory to be incorrect, lut it served also
to reveal an object in one of Coles boot
legs.
In trice Hyland hal drawn it from
its hiding place.
"Gre heavens" Re CALCULATED, his
hands trembling like an aspen, leaf in tho
wind. The missing bonds! Ten, twen-
Iy-I D0ll6N6 lucy 10 OIL hOiC' N'CNU'
Capital! My promotion-
A groan interrupted him. Mat Hyland
was a 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 bieathes freer," solioqnized the
detective, and is in no danger of diving.
l want TO keep this matter to myself for
the present. I'll go TO the nearest drug
store for restoratives. When l take him
away from here it will be with full con-
fession and the names of his eccomplices,
for I'm SIRE he had one at least.
He laid Cole back upon the ground,
and glided away 10 the opening IN the
wall. Two minutes later he had gained
the sidewalk and was hurrying up the
street.
He met with number of provok ng
DELAYS. The druggist was an unreason-
able time in giving him the articles he
impatientlv demanded. At the doorway
be encountered brother officer, who for
some minutes engaged him in converse
ton about an important matter. Lastly,
a small boy ran against him, dashing the
rackage from his hand ard breaking the
inclosed bottles urOn the sidewalk.
By the time be had duplicated the re-
storatives fully half an hour had elapsed.
He lost no time in returning to the dis
NAL cellar.
As he crawled through the opening in
the wall. and dar;ed forward the rays OF
his Lantern. a cry of min 1led chagrln and
dismay swept his white lips.
The trap-door in the floor was closed,