It was locked.
He pressed his weight upon the door and forced it in.
A dark hallway was seen. All was silence of the tomb.
Naturally the guardian of the peace hesitated ere entering the place alone and in the dark.
It was a rough quarter where crimes were of common occurrence.
But just at this moment the hurry wagon arrived with more officers.
A quick consultation was held.
The police captain at once surrounded the house. That is, men went to the alley in its rear while the place was entered from the front.
The two citizens, Smith and Hanks, were held as witnesses.
But just as the officers with dark-lanterns entered the tenement they were met by a sudden wall of smoke.