Old Specie, the Treasury Detective; or, The Harbor Lights of New York — page 58: what you’re looking at

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

50 OLD SPECIE. CHAPTER VII. CHANGED IN THE COFFIN. This particular sepulcher was partly surrounded by large bushes. It seemed to nestle among them. Ben Bolt held something in his hand, and the moonlight gleaming from itas he swung 1t around disclosed a large brass key. : ~ ‘This, no doubt, was to open the tomb. Old Snecie ramernbered having heard the man in the mansion speak of the vault. He evidently referred to this. A flight of some five or six stone steps led down into the stone vault. Then an iron door was seen, in the top of which were ventilators. Ben used the key, which undoubtedly belonged to this lock, for the door opened immediately at his command. Then he took out a piece of candle, struck a match, and applied it to the wick. Something of this kind was needed, for the interior of the tomb was dark. Although Old Specie still held the unconscious burden in his arms, he looked around him with con- siderable interest. | Whatever strange mission brought them to this tomb, it would soon be made manifest. : The spectacle was revolting in one way, as the air was also nauseating. At one end several old coffins were piled one on top of another. (elo) comicbooks