He picked up this and stared at it.

It was a commonplace candle-end, but the sight of it sent a chill through him from head to foot.

It must have been dropped by some one who could hold it no longer.
He pressed on, his light still sweeping the floor.

He found no more gold nor pieces of candle, but here and there he perceived the ends of burnt wooden matches.

Going on, he found more matches, two or three with the heads broken off and unburnt.