``Look at this!''

Inside the crown, stuffed behind the stained sweatband, could be seen thin, crumpled wads of currency. Carmer's ingenious cache for his loot had been found.

``By golly, Stevens! You were right,'' Russ exclaimed, tearing the loose bills out of Carmer's hat. ``That is, if we can be sure this is Colcord's money'' --

Pat grunted. ``Where else would he get it? Count what you've got there, Cobb. We can soon tell.''

Russ ran through the bills and named an amount it was highly unlikely any cowpuncher would come by honestly. Pat nodded. ``It's within a hundred of what Crip had,'' he declared. ``We know Penny spent some -- and Carmer must have dropped a few dollars getting that load on.''

Handing the money over, Russ wiped his hands on his pants-legs as if ridding himself of something unclean. His glance at Gyp Carmer was disdainful. ``Shall we get out of here?''

Leaving the card room, they moved back through the Palace the way they had come. Glowering looks met them in the bar, but there was no attempt to halt them. Pausing in the outside door to glance behind him, Pat looked his unspoken warning and stepped out. He and Cobb clattered down the high steps to the street.

Neither spoke till they reached their horses. Pat paused there, looking across at the young fellow. It'll be a pleasure for you to return this money to Colcord and tell him about it, Russ ``. He started to return it.