on his hoe as his daughter came up
the stepping stone path. She thought he looked worried and spoke of it.

"I am worried," the detective confessed. "Some confounded new fangled
bug is eating up all my choice aster plants. Just look at this one.
Riddled with holes as if it had been peppered with a machine gun!"

Penny laughed as she bent down to pick a bouquet of flowers for the
dinner table.

"You ought to be able to solve a simple case like that," she teased.

"I've already sprayed the plants with everything I can think of. It's
disgusting!"

Penny was not especially interested in insects, and began to question
her father about the office robbery.

"Nothing valuable was stolen so far as Miss Arrow and I could
determine," he informed. "The office was pretty thoroughly torn up,
but apparently the thief didn't get the thing he was after."

"Have you any idea what that was, Dad?"

"Not the slightest. Papers of some sort, I suppose."

"Did you find any leading clues?"

"Nothing of consequence. The fingerprints were worthless for the thief
wore gloves. Would you like to have the case, Penny?"

"No thanks. I've involved myself in enough trouble as it is. You may
not like what I've done, Dad."

"And just what have you done?" the detective asked with twinkling eyes.

Penny gave a detailed account of her interview with Mrs. Dillon. Mr.
Nichols frowned thoughtfully, but did not chide her.

"You made a bold attack, Penny," he commented, "but perhaps no harm has
been done. However, after this I must ask you not to do anything about
the matter without consulting me. You see, I've taken the jewel theft
case for the Insurance Company and I can't afford to antagonize Mrs.
Dillon until I learn whether she is involved in a plot to obtain
fifteen thousand dollars under false pretenses."

"You and Mrs. Dillon didn't part upon such friendly terms the last time
you met," Penny reminded him with a smile.

"No, that's true."

"By the way, Dad, Mrs. Dillon requested me to offer you her apology.
It seems she has just learned that her husband did insure the pearl
necklace with the Reliance Company. He neglected to tell her about it."

"Oh, I see," Mr. Nichols commented dryly. "Well, I'll talk with her
tomorrow."

Penny had finished picking the bouquet of flowers and was walking
toward the house, when the detective called her back.

"Just a minute. I learned something today which may interest you."

Penn