Page:The Young Auctioneers.djvu/131

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THE YOUNG AUCTIONEER.
117

returned Matt. "You ought to make an effort to find him."

"Of course! of course!" assented the man heartily. "I don't want to keep anybody's money—not if I know it is theirs. Let me see if there is a card in it."

He turned the pocket-book around and put his fingers first in one pocket and then another.

"Not a blessed thing but that pile of bills," he went on. "Now, isn't that strange?"

Then he suddenly drew from his vest pocket a gold watch and looked at it.

"Quarter to three!" he exclaimed in a startled tone. "And I must catch the three o'clock train for Baltimore! I haven't time to look up the owner of this pocket-book, valuable as it is."

"You might take a later train," suggested Matt.

The man shook his head.

"No, I have an engagement in Baltimore immediately upon the arrival of this train which I would not miss for a dozen such pocket-books."

"Then you'll have to take the money with you."

"I wouldn't feel just right about doing that," returned the man with a bland smile. "I would feel like a thief. I'll tell you what I will do," he went on smoothly and earnestly. "Give me twenty