"See that men are placed so as to guard the railroad station," Simmons directed, "and pass the word up and down the line that a medium-sized man, about thirty-five years of age, with black hair and a rather ruddy complexion--a man wanted by the government on a charge of false pretenses--is trying to make his escape. If anyone reports him, let me know at once." That, under the circumstances, was really all that Larry could do. It ought to be an easy matter to locate the fugitive, he figured, and it would only be a question of a few days before he was safely in jail. Bright and early the next morning the operative was awakened by a bell-boy who informed him that the chief of police would like to see him. "Show him in," said Larry, fully expecting to see the chief enter with a handcuffed prisoner. But the head of the police force came in alone, carrying a bundle, which he gravely presented to Simmons. "What's this?" inquired the pension agent. "All that's left of your friend Holden," was the reply. "One of my men reported late last night that he had heard a splash in the river as though some one had jumped off the wharf, but he couldn't find out anything more. To tell the truth, he didn't look very hard--because we had our hands full with a robbery of Green's clothing store. Some one broke in there and--" "Yes--but what about Holden?" Simmons interrupted. "Guess you'll have to drag the river for him," answered the chief. "We found his coat and vest and raincoat on the dock this mornin', and on top of them was this note, addressed to you." The note, as Larry found an instant later, read: I'd rather die in the river than go to jail. Tell your boss that he can pay two pensions now--one for each of the Dave Holdens. The signature, almost illegible, was that of "David Holden (Number two)." "No doubt that your man heard the splash when Holden went overboard last night?" inquired the operative. "Not the least in the world. He told me about it, but I didn't connect it with the man you were after, and, besides, I was too busy right then to give it much thought." "Any chance of recovering the body?" "Mighty little at this time of the year. The current's good and strong an' the chances are that he won't turn up this side of the Mississippi, if then. It was only by accident that we found his cap. It had lodged under the dock and we fished it out less 'n half an hour ago--" and the chief pointed to a water-soaked piece of cloth which Simmons recognized as the one which Holden had been wearing the evening before. "Well, I don't suppose there's anything more that we can do," admitted Larry. "I'd like to have the river dragged as much as possible, though I agree with you that the chances for recovering the body are very slim. Will you look after that?"