Penny Nichols and the Black Imp Read online

  CHAPTER VIII

  A Bold Move

  A few minutes later as she was driving home with her father, Pennyrepeated to him the conversation which she had overheard between HanleyCron and Mrs. Dillon. The detective smiled at the slighting referencemade by the art critic but looked disturbed when he learned of theluncheon engagement.

  "Before she gets through, Mrs. Dillon will have informed everyone thatshe is taking the necklace to the vault tomorrow," he said impatiently."If she ends up by losing the pearls then perhaps she'll know betternext time."

  Mr. Nichols stopped at the police station for a few minutes to leavethe revolver and the bullet which he had retrieved from the ballroomwall. When he returned to the car Penny questioned him regarding theholdup men.

  "Have they been captured?"

  "No," he replied in disgust, "they got away."

  It was long after midnight when they reached home. Penny would haveliked to remain up awhile to discuss the exciting events of the eveningbut Mr. Nichols was too sleepy to be in a talkative mood. He hurriedhis daughter off to bed.

  "I think I'll visit Amy Coulter sometime to-day," Penny remarked thenext morning at breakfast. "What I saw last night convinced me thatshe could have no part in the theft of the painting."

  "The picture in Mrs. Dillon's possession doesn't prove anything," Mr.Nichols replied as he pushed aside his coffee cup. "The painting maybe a fake. Or if it's genuine this girl may have been one of a gangwho negotiated the deal with Mrs. Dillon."

  "If you met Amy you'd understand that she isn't the criminal type, Dad."

  "And just what is the criminal type? Give me a definition."

  Penny threw down her napkin impatiently. "Oh, there's no use arguingwith you! You always win!"

  "I'm not suggesting that your friend Amy is a crook," the detectivesmiled. "I'm merely trying to teach you to think and not to arrive atconclusions through impulse or emotion."

  After the morning's work was done, Penny telephoned Susan Altman totell her about the Dillon party. Susan was not at home so she walkedto Amy Coulter's rooming house where she was admitted by the landlady.

  "I'm so glad you came," Amy cried joyfully as she admitted the girl."I took your advice and shut myself up here in my castle, but it's beendreadfully lonesome."

  The young sculptress had been working on a small statue. After Pennyhad admired it, she covered the figure with a cloth and set it away.

  "I'm worried about my Black Imp," she confessed, offering Penny achair. "This morning a notice appeared in the paper that allcontestants for the Huddleson prize should call within twenty-fourhours at the Gage Galleries for their entries. I'm afraid to go forfear I'll be arrested."

  "It wouldn't be safe," Penny agreed, "but if we're patient for a fewdays longer I believe the mystery may begin to clear up. In fact, Ihave an important clue already."

  She then told Amy how she had discovered the Rembrandt in Mrs. Dillon'slibrary. The girl was overjoyed to learn the news for she felt thatthe recovery of the painting would exonerate her. However, her faceclouded as Penny mentioned that the picture might be a fake.

  "If I were certain the picture was stolen from the museum, I'd godirectly to the police," Penny declared, "but until I am sure I mustmove cautiously."

  "I wish I could see the painting. I feel confident I could tell ifit's a fake."

  "I wish you could examine it," Penny said, frowning thoughtfully."Unfortunately, I don't see how it can be arranged--unless----"

  "What?" Amy demanded quickly.

  "Mrs. Dillon would never permit us to see the painting if she couldprevent it. We'd have to get into the house without her knowing it."

  "How could we ever do that?"

  "I have an idea, but there would be a certain amount of risk to it.Are you willing to take a chance?"

  "If it isn't too great a one. I couldn't get into a much worsesituation than I am now. The police probably will arrest me upon sightanyway."

  "This is the plan," Penny explained. "I happen to know that Mrs.Dillon will be away from the house at one o'clock today for she'slunching with Hanley Cron. While she's gone we'll look at the picture."

  "But the servants will be there," Amy protested.

  "I think I can arrange it so they won't be suspicious. Do you want totry it?"

  Amy hesitated only an instant before nodding her head. "I've nothingto lose and a great deal to gain," she said.

  Penny glanced at the little ivory clock on the dresser. It was nearlynoon. By the time the girls reached Mrs. Dillon's home the womanshould be away.

  "It will be wise to go in a taxi, I think," she remarked. "Thereshould be less danger of anyone recognizing you that way."

  While Amy changed her clothes, Penny went downstairs to call a cab. Itcame twenty minutes later and the two drove directly to Mrs. Dillon'sresidence.

  "The coast should be clear," Penny remarked as they alighted at thedoor. "It's a quarter to one but Mrs. Dillon surely is on her way tomeet Cron by this time."

  Penny boldly rang the doorbell. Presently a maid answered the summons.Smiling graciously, the girls stepped inside without waiting for aninvitation to do so.

  "Tell Mrs. Dillon, please, that we have come to see the picture," Pennydirected confidently.

  "Mrs. Dillon isn't in, Miss."

  "Not in?" Penny exclaimed, and turned to Amy in pretended chagrin. "Doyou suppose she forgot our appointment?"

  "I am afraid so," Amy murmured.

  "Mrs. Dillon went away in a great hurry," the maid said apologetically."She didn't mention that she was expecting guests."

  "She failed to say that she invited us here to view the painting?"

  "It was an oversight, of course. Mrs. Dillon will be sorry I know tohave missed you. Your names--"

  "It will be some time before we can come back I fear," Pennyinterrupted quickly. "And we did so want to see the picture. I don'tsuppose you could show it to us?"

  "I am afraid not. I don't even know what picture she meant."

  "Oh, the one hanging in the library," Penny informed. "It would onlytake us a minute to look at it."

  "Why, I guess I could show you that picture."

  Forgetting that she had neglected to learn the names of the callers,the maid led them to the library. The girls pretended to study theugly painting which hung over the mantel.

  "Is this Mrs. Dillon's last purchase?" Penny inquired.

  "It's the only picture she's bought recently."

  The girls shrewdly concluded that the maid was unaware of the hiddenpanel and were at a loss to know how they could manage to view theRembrandt.

  "I could study a beautiful painting for hours and hours," Amy remarked,sinking down into a chair opposite the mantel.

  "So could I," Penny agreed, gazing with a rapt expression at thehideous picture. As an apparent afterthought she turned to the maidwho stood waiting. "If you don't mind, we'll just sit here for a fewminutes and admire it."

  "Certainly, Miss. If you'll excuse me I'll go on with my dusting."

  The instant the maid had gone from the library, Penny pulled on thesilken rope and the hidden panel was revealed. She jerked aside thevelvet curtain to disclose the Rembrandt.

  "You'll have to make a quick examination," she warned. "That maid maycome back any minute."

  Amy studied the painting critically. When she did not speak, Pennyimpatiently asked for her opinion.

  "I believe it's merely a copy of the original, although a rather clevercopy. Rembrandt was very skillful in his method of handling light andshade--in this picture it is all lost."

  "Then I was right!" Penny cried triumphantly.

  "My opinion may not be right, Penny. If I could see the painting in abetter light--"

  With an anxious glance toward the library door, Penny hastened to thewindow and pulled aside the heavy draperies. A beam of sunlight fellacross the picture.

  "Yes, I'm sure it's a fake," Amy decided firmly. "If Mrs. Di
llonbought this for the original Rembrandt she was cheated."

  "Well, she deserved to be. She shouldn't have tried to buy stolenproperty."

  "Let me look on the underside of the canvas," Amy suggested."Sometimes that will give a clue as to the age of a painting."

  They pulled the picture out from the wall and peered behind it.Directly in the center of the canvas was a strange, complicated symboland beneath it the initials, "G. D." Both had been inscribed in Indiaink.

  "What's that for?" Penny questioned.

  "I wonder myself," Amy replied.

  "Then it isn't customary to put symbols or initials on the back of apainting?"

  "Decidedly not."

  The girls studied the marking for a minute. They could make nothing ofit.

  "I can't explain the symbol," Amy said, "but I'm convinced thispainting is a fraud."

  Penny had expected such a verdict as it confirmed her own observations,but for her friend's sake she was sorry that the painting had notturned out to be the original Rembrandt. Had they actually located thestolen picture it would be a simple matter to lay their evidence beforethe police and demand that Mrs. Dillon be forced to reveal the dealerfrom whom she purchased the property.

  "Everything is in a queer muddle now," Penny commented thoughtfully."Mrs. Dillon really isn't guilty of any crime at all, for she didn'tbuy a stolen picture. We can't very well cause her arrest."

  "Mrs. Dillon should complain to the police that she was cheated."

  "She doesn't know it yet," Penny chuckled. "When she finds out aboutit, I imagine she'll never report the dealer. Her own part in theaffair would be too humiliating. Even if she didn't buy stolenproperty, that was her intention."

  "I suppose the real crooks counted upon just such a reaction," Amysaid. "When they sold her that fake painting they knew they were safe."

  "And in the meantime the genuine Rembrandt is still missing," Pennyreplied musingly. "I have a suspicion this dishonest dealer, who soldMrs. Dillon the fake picture, might be able to throw a little lightupon the subject."

  "But how will we ever trace him unless we notify the police?"

  "I am afraid that would be a sure way of losing his trail completely,"Penny replied. "Mrs. Dillon's arrest would be the signal for thedishonest dealer to get out of town."

  "That's probably true."

  "We must work this thing out cautiously," Penny declared. "Perhaps ifwe went to Mrs. Dillon and talked with her--"

  She broke off as they heard approaching footsteps in the hall.

  "The maid!" Amy whispered.

  "Quick!" Penny exclaimed in an undertone. "Help me get this pictureback into place before she comes!"