and withdrew from his pocket a small tin box, and opening it, disclosed a handful of ashes and the half of a United States gold certificate for ten thousand dollars.  “He was holdin’ it over a little fire,” explained the officer.  “I located him by the smoke smell.  I covered him, and he dropped this last fragment to throw up his hands.  It’s money.  I didn’t know they made ’em so big.  But why in hell should he burn it?”

Murchison examined the fragment with its burned edge.  “Alex Thumb was canny,” he muttered.  “The bills was too big.  He didn’t dare to spend ’em.”

THE END