, the maid who answered, recognized her immediately.
Her glance was not friendly.

"Is Mrs. Dillon in?" Penny inquired.

"Yes, but I'm not sure she'll see you," the maid answered shortly.
"When I told her you were here the other day to see the picture, she
didn't know anything about it."

"Did you tell her my name?"

"How could I when you wouldn't give it?"

Penny smiled. "Please tell Mrs. Dillon that Miss Nichols would like to
speak with her. You might add that the matter is important."

"I'll tell her," the maid said reluctantly.

Penny waited several minutes, but when the servant came back she was
more cordial. "Mrs. Dillon will see you in the drawing room."

The woman arose as Penny entered.

"I am very glad you came this afternoon," she said pleasantly. "I
intended to telephone your father but now you may give him my message."

"I'll be glad to, Mrs. Dillon."

"I owe your father an apology about the way I talked to him. You see,
I didn't know that my pearl necklace was insured."

"And you have since learned differently?" Penny asked politely.

"Yes, my husband told me last night. He insured the pearls without
telling me anything about it. Wasn't that fortunate?"

"Very," Penny agreed. "I suppose you feel greatly relieved."

"Oh, yes, but I still wish your father would take the case. You'll
give him my apology?"

"Yes, indeed."

There was a little awkward silence as Mrs. Dillon waited for Penny to
explain why she had called. The girl scarcely knew how to begin. She
had been disarmed, as it were, by the society woman's manner.

"I wanted to talk to you about a picture which was taken from the Gage
Galleries," she began hesitantly. "A Rembrandt."

A cold look came over Mrs. Dillon's face. "Yes?" she inquired.

Penny stirred uncomfortably. The interview was not to her liking. And
when her father learned of it she was afraid it might not be to his
liking either.

"It occurred to me, Mrs. Dillon, that possibly you could help in
locating the stolen picture."

"I? You flatter me, my dear."

Penny saw the warning in Mrs. Dillon's dark eyes. But she dared to go
on.

"Let's not pretend, Mrs. Dillon," she said quietly. "I know about that
painting which you keep hidden behind the panel of the library."

Mrs. Dillon sprang to her feet, her face convulsed with anger.

"So you are the snooper who came here!" she cried. "Get out of my
house and never, never come again! Go quickly