I understand that you are suggesting this attendant of the
Galleries was the one who stole the painting?" Cron demanded with a
superior, amused smile.

"I'm not suggesting anything," Penny returned, "but there's just as
much evidence to support such a belief as there is that Amy Coulter
took the picture."

"Can you describe this attendant?" the official questioned.

"He was short and heavy-set, with dark hair and eyes. His face was
slightly furrowed and he wore a regulation blue uniform."

Susan was amazed at her chum's accurate description of the attendant,
for she could not have recalled any of his features. However, Penny
was naturally observant, as her father had trained her to take mental
note of persons she met without making a special effort to do so.

"Your description seems to fit one of our new employees," the official
said slowly. "A man by the name of Hoges. I will question him
immediately although I feel confident that he was only moving a picture
according to orders."

After a very perfunctory examination the persons who had been detained
in the exhibition room were permitted to leave. Penny and Susan
lingered after many had gone, hoping to be of assistance in identifying
the attendant who was under suspicion. As it turned out they had a
long wait for nothing. The official who had made it his business to
investigate Hoges' record reported that the attendant was not to be
located. He had left the Galleries for the day.

"Isn't that rather suspicious?" Penny inquired.

"No, he was off duty at three o'clock."

"But we saw him moving the picture a little after that hour," Susan
informed.

"He may have been working a few minutes overtime. Hoges is considered
an honest employee. He came to us highly recommended. I am told that
he had been ordered to move several pictures this afternoon."

There was nothing more that Penny or Susan could say. As they were
departing the police arrived upon the scene to make an investigation of
the theft. The girls saw Hanley Cron and the official talking with the
officers and they heard Amy Coulter's name mentioned.

"It's ridiculous to try to throw the blame on her," Penny declared as
she and Susan went to their parked car. "You can be sure that painting
wasn't stolen by any novice."

"Amy might have done it out of spite," Susan suggested slowly.
"Because she was provoked about the prize."

"It doesn't sound reasonable to me, Sue. Wait until the po