et him here tonight," Mr. Nichols remarked to his
daughter. "If he does telephone I'll ask him to come to my office
to-morrow."

"Then I won't hear what he has to say," Penny complained.

"I'm afraid you wouldn't anyway, my dear. Mr. Davis would never talk
freely if you were present at the interview."

"I suppose not--if he knew it. But I might hide in the closet."

"That would be a trifle too theatrical for my taste, Penny."

The doorbell rang sharply. Mrs. Gallup came from another room to
answer it. A moment later she returned to the study where Mr. Nichols
and Penny were sitting.

"Mr. Davis to see you," she told the detective.

"Davis? Strange he didn't telephone before coming at such a late hour.
But of course I'll see him."

Reluctantly, Penny arose.

"I suppose I'll have to go."

"No, wait. You really want to hear the interview?"

"I most certainly do."

"You've earned the right," Mr. Nichols smiled. "Sit over there in the
high-back wing chair."

Deftly he turned it so that the tall back faced the door. As Penny sat
down he placed a book in her hands and advised her to curl her feet up
under her as she often did when she read. In such a position, she was
completely screened from the gaze of the caller as he entered the room.

No sooner had Penny settled herself comfortably than Mrs. Gallup
ushered the officer into the study. She then quietly withdrew.

"Have a chair," Mr. Nichols invited cordially. He offered one which
would not reveal Penny's hiding place.

"My daughter told me you had telephoned," Jerome Davis began a trifle
uneasily. "I thought I might as well walk on over and see you. I hope
I didn't come too late."

"Not at all. I seldom retire before midnight. Davis, I suppose you
wonder why I wanted to talk with you."

A grim look had come over the officer's face.

"I judge it's about the stolen wheel and generator. I met your
daughter this evening."

"So she told me. However, what I really wanted to talk to you about
was the Molberg gang."

The officer offered no response.

"I don't need to tell you that they are at the bottom of this recent
outburst of thievery," the detective went on, eyeing his caller
shrewdly. "Unless they're captured soon, you'll be in a bad spot,
Davis."

"I'm in one now. I've always tried to be honest and do my duty as I
saw it. Because of that I'll probably end up without a job."

"Not if you team along with me and help me to ca