Dad's office,"
Penny remarked. "Only that doesn't seem reasonable either, for what
could anyone be after here at the house?"

"Silverware or possibly some of your father's papers."

"He doesn't keep anything of great value here as far as I know."

Before Mrs. Gallup could make a response the telephone rang and she
went to answer it.

"Can you come, Penny?" she called a moment later. "It's for you."

The girl hurried to the adjoining room and was surprised as she took
the receiver to hear Mrs. Dillon's voice. The woman was greatly
agitated.

"Miss Nichols, you were right about the picture," she began abruptly.
"I communicated with the museum authorities as I promised and they told
me that the painting is a fake!"

"I thought it would turn out that way," Penny commented in satisfaction.

"I can't understand how I was duped," Mrs. Dillon went on excitedly.
"I was so careful. I've been cheated out of four thousand dollars."

"Four thousand!" Penny exclaimed. "Why yesterday you told me you had
paid only half that sum."

"Since then I've made the final payment."

"But I warned you, Mrs. Dillon," Penny cried in exasperation. "Why did
you do it?"

"Because I couldn't help myself," the woman wailed. "My friend--the
agent convinced me that if I didn't complete the payments I would get
into serious trouble with the police--that we both would be disgraced."

"And you believed his story! He only cheated you!"

"No, he wouldn't do that," Mrs. Dillon replied firmly. "This
gentleman's reputation is above reproach. He couldn't have known any
more than I did that the Rembrandt was a fake."

"The only thing for you to do now is to reveal everything," Penny
urged. "Tell me the name of this man."

"No, I can't. I have promised to keep silent."

"Mrs. Dillon, I am unable to understand your attitude. Don't you want
to help capture the persons who tricked you?"

"Yes, I'll do anything I can except reveal this gentleman's identity.
I'll learn from him the name of the firm where the picture was bought
and notify the police."

Penny made a grimace which Mrs. Dillon could not see. After a moment's
silence, she asked bluntly:

"Is it Hanley Cron whom you are protecting?"

"Certainly not," Mrs. Dillon retorted, and hung up the receiver.

"I wonder if she told the truth?" Penny thought, turning from the
telephone. "At least she was afraid to answer any more questions."

It occurred to the girl that if Hanl