Part 10 (1/2)

”Then aren't you afraid----?”

”Not in the least,” Mrs. Dillon interrupted. ”Naturally, the dealer wouldn't subject himself to arrest by acknowledging that he was selling stolen property.”

”The painting is a very fine one,” the other woman declared, ”but I can't say I should care to own it myself. You'll never be able to display it openly.”

”Perhaps not, but I can show it privately to my friends and I'll derive satisfaction just from knowing I own it.”

”But if the police should suspect----”

”They won't, unless someone reports me. So far you are the only person who knows that I have the painting.”

”Oh, you may trust me, Mrs. Dillon. I'll never give you away.”

”If the picture should ever be traced to me I can always claim that I was an innocent purchaser,” Mrs. Dillon chuckled. ”In fact, I don't know that this is the same picture that was taken from the Gage Galleries. The dealer didn't tell me that it was an original.”

”You're very shrewd,” the other woman praised.

Mrs. Dillon carefully drew the velvet curtain over the painting and closed the panel. As the two women moved toward the door they pa.s.sed close to Penny's chair. The girl held her breath, fearing detection.

She had not meant to be an eavesdropper, but the nature of Mrs.

Dillon's conversation had made it impossible to reveal her presence in the room without creating a difficult scene. However, should she be discovered now, crouching behind the back of the chair, the situation would prove even more embarra.s.sing.

”We must return to the others before we're missed,” Mrs. Dillon said, unlocking the door.

The two women went out, and Penny heard a slight metallic click which at the moment did not strike her as having any significance. As the door closed she quickly arose from her chair.

Penny was dismayed at what she had seen and heard. It was difficult for her to believe that Mrs. Dillon owned the painting which had been stolen from the Gage Galleries. From the conversation she felt quite sure that the society woman had purchased the picture from a dishonest dealer who undoubtedly had received it from the original thief. Yet Mrs. Dillon had knowingly purchased stolen property and so in effect was an accessory to the crime.

”She must be crazy to involve herself in a deal like that,” Penny thought. ”If the police learn she has the painting they'll confiscate it and arrest her.”

Penny realized that she had it within her power to expose Mrs. Dillon.

Even though she were a guest in the society woman's home, it was really her duty to reveal her findings to the police.

From her hiding place behind the chair, Penny had not been able to secure a very good view of the painting. She was eager to examine it at close range.

Did she dare open the panel? She decided to take the chance. Jerking at the long silken rope as she had seen Mrs. Dillon do, the girl was gratified to observe the sham picture above the mantel swing slowly back to reveal the hidden panel.

Penny quickly drew aside the velvet curtain which protected the stolen Rembrandt.

The painting was one of the lesser known works of the famous artist, a picture of a child. Penny snapped on the electric light that she might view it to better advantage.

At first glance the painting was very impressive, but as the girl studied it more critically, she was a.s.sailed with doubt. The picture did not seem to have the character or strength commonly a.s.sociated with great works of art. The draftmans.h.i.+p seemed mechanical, the color lacked depth.

”I wonder if it really is a genuine Rembrandt?” Penny thought.

The longer she gazed at it the more convinced she became that the picture was merely a clever imitation. She wished that Amy Coulter were there to offer an opinion. Penny did not trust her own judgment.

Her knowledge of art was so slight that she might be mistaken in considering the Rembrandt a fraud.

Closing the panel, Penny sat down for an instant to think. She knew she had made an important discovery, one which easily could cause Mrs.