A Bold Move
A few minutes later as she was driving home with her father, Penny
repeated to him the conversation which she had overheard between Hanley
Cron and Mrs. Dillon. The detective smiled at the slighting reference
made by the art critic but looked disturbed when he learned of the
luncheon engagement.
"Before she gets through, Mrs. Dillon will have informed everyone that
she is taking the necklace to the vault tomorrow," he said impatiently.
"If she ends up by losing the pearls then perhaps she'll know better
next time."
Mr. Nichols stopped at the police station for a few minutes to leave
the revolver and the bullet which he had retrieved from the ballroom
wall. When he returned to the car Penny questioned him regarding the
holdup men.
"Have they been captured?"
"No," he replied in disgust, "they got away."
It was long after midnight when they reached home. Penny would have
liked to remain up awhile to discuss the exciting events of the evening
but Mr. Nichols was too sleepy to be in a talkative mood. He hurried
his daughter off to bed.
"I think I'll visit Amy Coulter sometime to-day," Penny remarked the
next morning at breakfast. "What I saw last night convinced me that
she could have no part in the theft of the painting."
"The picture in Mrs. Dillon's possession doesn't prove anything," Mr.
Nichols replied as he pushed aside his coffee cup. "The painting may
be a fake. Or if it's genuine this girl may have been one of a gang
who negotiated the deal with Mrs. Dillon."
"If you met Amy you'd understand that she isn't the criminal type, Dad."
"And just what is the criminal type? Give me a definition."
Penny threw down her napkin impatiently. "Oh, there's no use arguing
with you! You always win!"
"I'm not suggesting that your friend Amy is a crook," the detective
smiled. "I'm merely trying to teach you to think and not to arrive at
conclusions through impulse or emotion."
After the morning's work was done, Penny telephoned Susan Altman to
tell her about the Dillon party. Susan was not at home so she walked
to Amy Coulter's rooming house where she was admitted by the landlady.
"I'm so glad you came," Amy cried joyfully as she admitted the girl.
"I took your advice and shut myself up here in my castle, but it's been
dreadfully lonesome."
The young sculptress had been working on a small statue. After Penny
had admired it, she covered the figure with a cloth and set it away.
"I'm worried about my Black Imp," she confessed, offering Penny a
chair. "This morning a notice appeared in the paper that all
contestants for the Huddleson prize should call within twenty-four
hours at the Gage Galleries for their entries. I'm afraid to go for
fear I'll be arrested."
"It wouldn't be safe," Penny agreed, "but if we're patient for a few
days longer I believe the mystery may begin to clear up. In fact, I
have an important clue already."
She then told Amy how she had discovered the Rembrandt in Mrs. Dillon's
library. The girl was overjoyed to learn the news for she felt that
the recovery of the painting would exonerate her. However, her face
clouded as Penny mentioned that the picture might be a fake.
"If I were certain the picture was stolen from the museum, I'd go
directly to the police," Penny declared, "but until I am sure I must
move cautiously."
"I wish I could see the painting. I feel confident I could tell if
it's a fake."
"I wish you could examine it," Penny said, frowning thoughtfully.
"Unfortunately, I don't see how it can be arranged--unless----"
"What?" Amy demanded quickly.
"Mrs. Dillon would never permit us to see the painting if she could
prevent it. We'd have to get into the house without her knowing it."
"How could we ever do that?"
"I have an idea, but there would be a certain amount of risk to it.
Are you willing to take a chance?"
"If it isn't too great a one. I couldn't get into a much worse
situation than I am now. The police probably will arrest me upon sight
anyway."
"This is the plan," Penny explained. "I happen to know that Mrs.
Dillon will be away from the house at one o'clock today for she's
lunching with Hanley Cron. While she's gone we'll look at the picture."
"But the servants will be there," Amy protested.
"I think I can arrange it so they won't be suspicious. Do you want to
try it?"
Amy hesitated only an instant before nodding her head. "I've nothing
to lose and a great deal to gain," she said.
Penny glanced at the little ivory clock on the dresser. It was nearly
noon. By the time the girls reached Mrs. Dillon's home the woman
should be away.
"It will be wise to go in a taxi, I think," she remarked. "There
should be less danger of anyone recognizing you that way."
While Amy changed her clothes, Penny went downstairs to call a cab. It
came twenty minutes later and the two drove directly to Mrs. Dillon's
residence.
"The coast should be clear," Penny remarked as they alighted at the
door. "It's a quarter to one but Mrs. Dillon surely is on her way to
meet Cron by this time."
Penny boldly rang the doorbell. Presently a maid answered the summons.
Smiling graciously, the girls stepped inside without waiting for an
invitation to do so.
"Tell Mrs. Dillon, please, that we have come to see the picture," Penny
directed confidently.
"Mrs. Dillon isn't in, Miss."
"Not in?" Penny exclaimed, and turned to Amy in pretended chagrin. "Do
you suppose she forgot our appointment?"
"I am afraid so," Amy murmured.
"Mrs. Dillon went away in a great hurry," the maid said apologetically.
"She didn't mention that she was expecting guests."
"She failed to say that she invited us here to view the painting?"
"It was an oversight, of course. Mrs. Dillon will be sorry I know to
have missed you. Your names--"
"It will be some time before we can come back I fear," Penny
interrupted quickly. "And we did so want to see the picture. I don't
suppose you could show it to us?"
"I am afraid not. I don't even know what picture she meant."
"Oh, the one hanging in the library," Penny informed. "It would only
take us a minute to look at it."
"Why, I guess I could show you that picture."
Forgetting that she had neglected to learn the names of the callers,
the maid led them to the library. The girls pretended to study the
ugly painting which hung over the mantel.
"Is this Mrs. Dillon's last purchase?" Penny inquired.
"It's the only picture she's bought recently."
The girls shrewdly concluded that the maid was unaware of the hidden
panel and were at a loss to know how they could manage to view the
Rembrandt.
"I could study a beautiful painting for hours and hours," Amy remarked,
sinking down into a chair opposite the mantel.
"So could I," Penny agreed, gazing with a rapt expression at the
hideous picture. As an apparent afterthought she turned to the maid
who stood waiting. "If you don't mind, we'll just sit here for a few
minutes and admire it."
"Certainly, Miss. If you'll excuse me I'll go on with my dusting."
The instant the maid had gone from the library, Penny pulled on the
silken rope and the hidden panel was revealed. She jerked aside the
velvet curtain to disclose the Rembrandt.
"You'll have to make a quick examination," she warned. "That maid may
come back any minute."
Amy studied the painting critically. When she did not speak, Penny
impatiently asked for her opinion.
"I believe it's merely a copy of the original, although a rather clever
copy. Rembrandt was very skillful in his method of handling light and
shade--in this picture it is all lost."
"Then I was right!" Penny cried triumphantly.
"My opinion may not be right, Penny. If I could see the painting in a
better light--"
With an anxious glance toward the library door, Penny hastened to the
window and pulled aside the heavy draperies. A beam of sunlight fell
across the picture.
"Yes, I'm sure it's a fake," Amy decided firmly. "If Mrs. Dillon
bought this for the original Rembrandt she was cheated."
"Well, she deserved to be. She shouldn't have tried to buy stolen
property."
"Let me look on the underside of the canvas," Amy suggested.
"Sometimes that will give a clue as to the age of a painting."
They pulled the picture out from the wall and peered behind it.
Directly in the center of the canvas was a strange, complicated symbol
and beneath it the initials, "G. D." Both had been inscribed in India
ink.
"What's that for?" Penny questioned.
"I wonder myself," Amy replied.
"Then it isn't customary to put symbols or initials on the back of a
painting?"
"Decidedly not."
The girls studied the marking for a minute. They could make nothing of
it.
"I can't explain the symbol," Amy said, "but I'm convinced this
painting is a fraud."
Penny had expected such a verdict as it confirmed her own observations,
but for her friend's sake she was sorry that the painting had not
turned out to be the original Rembrandt. Had they actually located the
stolen picture it would be a simple matter to lay their evidence before
the police and demand that Mrs. Dillon be forced to reveal the dealer
from whom she purchased the property.
"Everything is in a queer muddle now," Penny commented thoughtfully.
"Mrs. Dillon really isn't guilty of any crime at all, for she didn't
buy a stolen picture. We can't very well cause her arrest."
"Mrs. Dillon should complain to the police that she was cheated."
"She doesn't know it yet," Penny chuckled. "When she finds out about
it, I imagine she'll never report the dealer. Her own part in the
affair would be too humiliating. Even if she didn't buy stolen
property, that was her intention."
"I suppose the real crooks counted upon just such a reaction," Amy
said. "When they sold her that fake painting they knew they were safe."
"And in the meantime the genuine Rembrandt is still missing," Penny
replied musingly. "I have a suspicion this dishonest dealer, who sold
Mrs. Dillon the fake picture, might be able to throw a little light
upon the subject."
"But how will we ever trace him unless we notify the police?"
"I am afraid that would be a sure way of losing his trail completely,"
Penny replied. "Mrs. Dillon's arrest would be the signal for the
dishonest dealer to get out of town."
"That's probably true."
"We must work this thing out cautiously," Penny declared. "Perhaps if
we went to Mrs. Dillon and talked with her--"
She broke off as they heard approaching footsteps in the hall.
"The maid!" Amy whispered.
"Quick!" Penny exclaimed in an undertone. "Help me get this picture
back into place before she comes!"