Penny Nichols and the Black Imp Read online

  CHAPTER VII

  An Invitation to Lunch

  Penny and her father were forced to line up with the other guests.They stood against the north wall, their hands held above their head.Members of the orchestra and servants were compelled to obey the order.While one of the holdup men covered the crowd with his revolver, theother moved swiftly from person to person collecting jewelry, watchesand money.

  Penny saw Mrs. Dillon, pale and frightened, trying to drop her pearlnecklace into a flower pot, but she was not quick enough. The holdupman jerked the string from her hand.

  "Oh, no you don't, lady," he snarled. He admired the pearls an instantbefore dropping them into a small cloth bag which he carried.

  Penny stood next in line. She wore no jewelry save an inexpensivebrooch which had belonged to her mother. Tears came into her eyes asthe thief jerked it from her dress.

  "Oh, please don't take that--" she began.

  "Make no resistance," Mr. Nichols ordered curtly.

  Penny relapsed into silence. She was a trifle puzzled at her father'sattitude for she had always imagined that in such a situation he wouldbe the first to fly into action.

  The holdup man paused in front of the detective.

  "Your money and valuables," he commanded.

  "Help yourself," the detective invited cheerfully.

  As the holdup man reached into an inside pocket, Mr. Nichols' fist shotout, catching him squarely under the jaw. The startled thief staggeredback and dropped his bag of loot. Before he could recover from theblow, the detective wrenched the revolver from his grasp.

  "Look out!" Penny screamed. From the opposite side of the room theother holdup man was taking careful aim at the detective.

  Mr. Nichols whirled and fired. The shot buried itself in the wall, butit was close enough to the crook to warn him that the detective was noamateur at handling firearms.

  "Scram!" he yelled warningly to his companion.

  They fled into the garden with the detective in close pursuit. The twothieves were too hard pressed to give any thought to the lost bag ofloot. Several shots were exchanged but the men succeeded in reachingtheir car which was parked in the driveway. The engine roared as theysped away. Springing into his own automobile, Nichols took up thepursuit but he soon abandoned it as useless, returning to the house.

  There he telephoned the police, offering not only the license number ofthe fleeing automobile but a detailed description of the men.

  "The radio cruiser ought to pick them up in a few minutes," he toldPenny.

  While a curious crowd gathered about he took a knife and extracted thebullet which had been fired into the wall.

  "What will you do with that?" someone questioned.

  "Keep it for evidence," he explained. "And this revolver as well,although now that I've used it, all fingermarks probably have beenobliterated."

  The women were clamoring for their lost jewelry, so with Penny'sassistance, the detective distributed the articles.

  "I feel just like Santa Claus taking presents out of my pack," hedeclared jokingly. "Here's your brooch, Penny. Did you think you weregoing to lose it?"

  "Yes, I did, Dad. I saw red when that man tore it off my dress."

  "So did I."

  "You certainly didn't show it. You advised me to make no resistance."

  "That was because I didn't want you to be shot."

  "Then you turned right around a second later and took a big chanceyourself. You might have been killed."

  "I knew what I was about," the detective returned quietly.

  Mrs. Dillon came up to Mr. Nichols, gripping his hand. Her own wastrembling.

  "You were marvelous, simply marvelous!" she said tremulously. "Neverbefore in my life have I witnessed such a display of courage."

  Others joined in the praise until Mr. Nichols was embarrassed. Hehurriedly began to distribute the remainder of the stolen jewelry.

  "Your necklace," he said to Mrs. Dillon, presenting it to her.

  "Thank you, thank you," the woman murmured gratefully. "How can I everrepay you for saving my pearls?"

  "By taking better care of them in the future," he responded grimly.

  Mrs. Dillon looked slightly offended. "I have always taken excellentcare of my pearls, Mr. Nichols," she replied.

  "Perhaps your idea of excellent care does not agree with mine. Thenecklace is insured?"

  "No, it isn't," Mrs. Dillon admitted reluctantly. "My husband spoke ofattending to it several times but never did."

  "You took a great risk wearing the pearls at a function such as thiswithout even the precaution of having detectives on the premises towatch for gem thieves."

  "You were here," Mrs. Dillon smiled. "I shall have my husband send youa check in the morning."

  "Then I shall be compelled to return it," the detective replied. "MayI ask if you have been in the habit of keeping the necklace in thehouse, Mrs. Dillon?"

  "Why, yes, but I assure you I have an excellent hiding place."

  Mr. Nichols could not restrain an amused smile.

  "An experienced gem thief could probably find it in ten minutes' time.But that's neither here nor there. The point is, you should not keepthe necklace in the house at all unless you do not care if you lose it."

  "Of course I care," Mrs. Dillon retorted. "That string cost my husbandfifteen thousand dollars."

  "Then the necklace is even more valuable than I imagined. I shouldadvise you to take it to the bank vault in the morning. Keep it thereuntil you have it fully protected by insurance."

  "I'll do it," Mrs. Dillon promised. "I really think your advice isworth following. I have been careless with the pearls."

  In a few minutes the orchestra began to play again and the party wenton, although many of the guests were still too nervous and excited todance. They sat in groups discussing the hold-up. Christopher Nicholsbecame the center of one admiring circle after another. He did notenjoy the attention.

  "Let's go home," he suggested to Penny. "I've had enough."

  "All right," she agreed instantly. "I left my wraps upstairs. I'llget them."

  She crossed the ballroom and entered a hallway. As she paused topermit a couple to pass, she noticed that Hanley Cron and Mrs. Dillonwere standing at the foot of the spiral stairway, their backs towardher, engaged in earnest talk. She could not help hearing a snatch oftheir conversation.

  "Mrs. Dillon, why don't you take lunch with me tomorrow at my studio?"the art critic invited.

  "I should enjoy it, Mr. Cron," the woman replied. "I might drop inafter I take my necklace to the bank vault."

  "I see you are determined to follow Christopher Nichols' advice."

  "Yes, don't you think I should?"

  "I believe he is not considered a very reliable detective," the manreplied. "However, in this instance, his advice might be worthfollowing."

  "I'm glad you think so, Mr. Cron. I'll take the necklace to the bankin the morning."

  "Why not come to my studio before going to the bank?" the art criticproposed. "Then I could serve as an escort. With such a valuablepackage in your possession you really need a guard."

  "It is very kind of you to offer," Mrs. Dillon returned, flattered. "Iwill meet you at the studio at one o'clock and after luncheon we'll goto the bank together."

  Penny had reached the foot of the stairs. The two were so engrossed intheir conversation that they were unaware they were blocking the path.

  "I beg your pardon," she murmured suggestively.

  "Oh, I'm so sorry!" Mrs. Dillon exclaimed, moving hastily aside.

  Penny gave no hint either by look or action that she had overheard theconversation, but inwardly she raged at Hanley Cron's cutting referenceto her father's ability. She slowly climbed the stairs. At the firstlanding she glanced back over her shoulder and noticed that the artcritic was staring after her. His expression startled her.

  "How that man does hate me," she thought. "And all on account of aruin
ed fender. It's too ridiculous!"

  Penny had observed during the evening that Mrs. Dillon and Hanley Crondanced frequently together. Apparently, the society woman wasflattered by the man's attention, although Penny was at a loss tounderstand how anyone could consider him attractive. It seemed to herthat the art critic deliberately was trying to ingratiate himself withMrs. Dillon.

  She considered the luncheon invitation which Cron had extended to hishostess. While it might have no significance, it tended to confirm herbelief that the man was trying to gain the society woman's favor. Shewondered, too, why he appeared so eager to accompany Mrs. Dillon to thebank.

  "I don't believe it's because he wants to be generally helpful," shetold herself shrewdly. "Hanley Cron simply isn't that sort of person!"

  As she stood before the bedroom mirror Penny reflected upon what Cronhad said about her father. Not reliable indeed! It was evident thatthe man deliberately was endeavoring to undermine Mr. Nichols'professional reputation.

  Unexpectedly, Penny caught a glimpse of her face in the mirror andlaughed because she looked so tense and worried.

  "There's no use to take it so seriously," she advised herself. "I'vemerely learned that Hanley Cron may prove to be a dangerous enemy."