Part 23 (2/2)
A list of these articles of any value was made and placarded on a neat card labelled ”Owner Apply,” tacked up on the ticket seller's booth outside.
”A plugged nickel and two suspender b.u.t.tons,” laughed Pep as a result of his explorations as Randy reappeared.
”I kicked something!” announced Randy, and sure enough something that rattled skidded across the floor from the edge of the dust heap.
”Why,” replied Pep, picking up the article in question, ”it's a chamois bag.”
”Something in it?” questioned Randy.
”Think so? I'll see,” and Pep probed. ”I say,” he added with animation, ”look here, Randy!”
Both boys viewed in amazement the object Pep had extracted from the little chamois bag. It sparkled and dazzled.
”Gold!” uttered Randy.
”And diamonds!” added Pep with zest. ”It's a necklace. It's handsome enough to be real, but that can't be.”
”Why not?” challenged Randy.
”Oh, it would be worth a small fortune. Who's going to drop a thing like that in a ten-cent motion picture show?”
”We'll ask Mr. Vincent,” suggested Randy, and Pep slipped their singular find into his pocket. They cleaned up the dust heap, set the rows of chairs in apple pie order and joined the others in the living rooms.
”I want to show you something, Mr. Vincent,” said Pep, approaching the ventriloquist, who with Jolly was dispatching supper at the table.
”Why,” exclaimed Vincent, as Pep handed him the chamois bag and he held up to the light the necklace it contained, ”where in the world did you get this?”
”I should say so!” cried Jolly, his eyes fixed upon the s.h.i.+mmering article of jewelry.
”Randy swept it up,” explained Pep.
”Is it good for anything?” inquired Randy.
”Is it!” projected Vincent forcibly. ”I should rather say so! Those are genuine diamonds, and the other settings are valuable, too. Not less than a thousand dollars, and maybe five.”
Pep gave utterance to an excited whistle. Randy looked bewildered.
Frank, busy at his desk going over the contents of the cash box, arose from his chair and like the others became an interested member of the group.
”Some lady must have carried it with her and it dropped from her pocket,” he suggested. ”It is too late to-night to think of seeking an owner for it.”
”Whoever it belongs to will be around looking for it quick enough,”
declared Vincent.
”I hope there will be some kind of a reward,” said Randy.
”If there is, you get it,” observed Pep.
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