He bowed slightly to excuse himself and disappeared behind a heavy curtain into the back of the shop.
Both Nina and Louise were bursting with curiosity.
“Vicki,” Louise said, “if you don’t tell us what all this mystery is about, I’ll never speak to you again.”
“Neither will I,” Nina said.
“At the hotel,” Vicki said. “I’ll tell you everything when we get back. But not a word until then.”
In a moment the jeweler returned. His face was wreathed in a smile.
“Señor,” he said, “I am happy to tell you that this piece is of solid gold. It is very valuable.”
“Now, Miss Mystery Girl,” Mr. Curtin said when they were once more in their suite at the hotel. “Can you tell us what this is all about?”
Vicki’s mind was still in a whirl. Now she was sure she had the secret of the stolen gold coins! She didn’t know how they had been stolen, or by whom. But she was pretty sure she knew what had happened to them.