"I feel sure of it. If you testify against him he hasn't a chance.
Will you mind going to court?"

"I'd love it!" Penny returned instantly. "Nothing would give me
greater satisfaction than to serve as a witness against both of those
men."

"Brunner was the real brains behind the gang," Mr. Nichols went on.
"He had everyone fooled, including myself. You did a fine piece of
work to-night, my dear."

Penny flushed at the praise.

"If it hadn't been for your arrival at the critical moment, all my
information would have been worthless. I guess I was very foolhardy."

"Perhaps you were, a trifle," the detective smiled. "But an
investigator must take certain chances. Not that I'd want you to do
the same thing again," he added hastily.

"You didn't tell me what the police did about Jimmie Davis," Penny
reminded him. "I hope he wasn't sent to jail too."

"No, he's been placed in the custody of his father for a year. If he
straightens up and doesn't violate his parole, nothing more will ever
be said regarding his part in the affair."

"Oh, I'm so glad! I knew you'd arrange it that way."

"It wasn't entirely due to my efforts," the detective insisted. "The
boy really isn't bad at heart. The way he came to your rescue proved
that."

"This will mean so much to Betty and her father," Penny declared
happily. Her face clouded. "I suppose nothing can save Mr. Davis'
position on the force?"

"Quite the contrary," Mr. Nichols smiled. "It is already arranged that
he shall keep his job."

"But the newspaper publicity?"

"There will be none. At least, not regarding Mr. Davis and his son."

It was long after midnight when Penny went to bed. She was so tired
and worn that she did not awaken until Mrs. Gallup rapped several times
upon her door.

"What time is it?" Penny inquired drowsily.

"Nearly noon," the housekeeper reported. "I shouldn't have awakened
you, only the telephone has been ringing all morning and the yard is
cluttered with newspaper men."

"I'll be right down," Penny laughed, springing out of bed.

It was a new experience for her to find herself occupying the
limelight. She enjoyed talking with the reporters but took care to
reveal nothing which involved either Mr. Davis or his son. The morning
papers played up the story of the capture, and Penny's photograph, dug
up from the morgue, appeared upon the front page.

She was studying it with mingled feelings of pleasure and
disappoin