things."

"Human squirrels, I suppose," Susan smiled. "When I came up you were
craning your neck at that man over by the oak tree."

"What became of him?" Penny demanded anxiously, turning to look.

She had talked with Susan scarcely a minute, yet the museum workman had
disappeared. In vain she scanned the park. He was nowhere to be seen.

"I thought you were interested in him!" Susan proclaimed triumphantly.

"Of course I was!" Penny cried impatiently. "He was that same museum
workman we met at the Gage Galleries."

"Not the one you suspected of stealing the Rembrandt?"

"Yes, and he was talking with--" Penny suddenly checked herself.

"What were you saying?"

"He was talking with a girl," Penny finished. "I intended to follow
the man. Now it's too late."

"I guess it was my fault. But I didn't suppose you were really
shadowing anyone. I'm sorry if I ruined everything."

"Oh, you didn't," Penny smiled good-naturedly, taking her chum's arm as
they walked across the park together. "If I want to question Mr. Hoges
I probably can find him at the museum. No doubt he just returned from
his vacation."

The girls dropped in at a corner drug store for ice cream, but Penny
refrained from telling Susan the details of her recent adventures. She
realized that if it became generally known that the stolen Rembrandt or
even a reproduction of the famous picture were in Mrs. Dillon's
possession, considerable trouble would result. Penny did not intend to
tell anyone about it until she had interviewed the woman.

It was after three o'clock when the girls left the drug store. At
Penny's suggestion they walked to the Gage Galleries to inquire for Mr.
Hoges.

"He will not return here after his vacation," came the disappointing
response to their question. "Mr. Hoges has resigned his position."

This information left Penny in more of a maze than ever regarding Amy
Coulter. She could not help believing in the girl's integrity, and,
despite Amy's rendezvous with Hoges, she still felt there must be a
rational explanation for her actions.

As Susan and Penny left the museum together, the former cast a
panic-stricken glance at her watch.

"It's nearly four o'clock and I promised to meet my mother at the
library then. I forgot all about it. I have just ten minutes to get
there."

"Twenty blocks in ten minutes! You'll never make it, Susan."

The excited girl looked up and down the street as if she were seekin