ht you might have forgotten."

"This is too ridiculous!" Mrs. Dillon snapped. "I didn't come here to
be insulted."

"Please don't consider my remarks in that light, Mrs. Dillon. I was
merely explaining why I can't take the case. I expect to serve the
Reliance Company."

"They have absolutely nothing to do with the necklace." Mrs. Dillon
angrily arose. "I am sorry I wasted my time coming here!"

Haughtily, she left the house, and Penny, who watched from the window,
saw her drive away with her chauffeur.

"Do you really intend to take the case for the Reliance people?" she
questioned eagerly.

"Oh, I suppose I shall."

"What do you think of Mrs. Dillon, Dad?"

"She bores me," Mr. Nichols yawned. "Without a background of money and
social position she would be nothing but a noisy phonograph record."

"I meant about her claim regarding the necklace. Were the pearls
actually insured?"

"Oh, of course," Mr. Nichols returned, a trifle impatiently. He
laughed. "I can't imagine the Reliance people turning over a cold
fifteen thousand dollars if they didn't owe it."

"But if Mrs. Dillon expects to collect the money why should she lie?"

The detective shrugged. "Some women are funny."

Mrs. Gallup came to announce dinner and at the table the subject was
not resumed. Penny sighed as she stole a glance at her father's
immobile face. She could never tell what he was thinking and his
reluctance to discuss any case upon which he happened to be working was
at times irritating.

The next morning after helping Mrs. Gallup wash windows, Penny went
down town to have luncheon with her father. She felt rather important
as she entered the office for it was not often that he extended such an
invitation.

The door of the inner room was ajar and Miss Arrow was nowhere in
sight, so Penny entered. To her surprise the private office was in
great confusion. Papers had been tossed over the floor and the filing
cabinet rifled. Mr. Nichols and his secretary were occupied examining
the contents of the safe.

"What's the matter?" Penny questioned. "Are you house cleaning or did
a cyclone strike the place?"

"Someone broke in here last night and went through everything," Mr.
Nichols answered.

"Anything valuable taken?"

"No, not so far as we've discovered. Only a little cash that was in
the safe--nothing of consequence."

"Who do you suppose did it?" Penny asked. She leaned carelessly
against the desk but her