Telephoning the Davis home, the detective left a message that the policeman was to call back at his earliest convenience.
"It's too late to get him here tonight," Mr. Nichols remarked to his daughter. "If he does telephone I'll ask him to come to my office to-morrow."
"Then I won't hear what he has to say," Penny complained.
"I'm afraid you wouldn't anyway, my dear. Mr. Davis would never talk freely if you were present at the interview."
"I suppose not--if he knew it. But I might hide in the closet."
"That would be a trifle too theatrical for my taste, Penny."
The doorbell rang sharply. Mrs. Gallup came from another room to answer it. A moment later she returned to the study where Mr. Nichols and Penny were sitting.
"Mr. Davis to see you," she told the detective.
"Davis? Strange he didn't telephone before coming at such a late hour. But of course I'll see him."
"No, wait. You really want to hear the interview?"
"You've earned the right," Mr. Nichols smiled. "Sit over there in the high-back wing chair."
Deftly he turned it so that the tall back faced the door. As Penny sat down he placed a book in her hands and advised her to curl her feet up under her as she often did when she read. In such a position, she was completely screened from the gaze of the caller as he entered the room.
No sooner had Penny settled herself comfortably than Mrs. Gallup ushered the officer into the study. She then quietly withdrew.
"Have a chair," Mr. Nichols invited cordially. He offered one which would not reveal Penny's hiding place.
"My daughter told me you had telephoned," Jerome Davis began a trifle uneasily. "I thought I might as well walk on over and see you. I hope I didn't come too late."
"Not at all. I seldom retire before midnight. Davis, I suppose you wonder why I wanted to talk with you."
A grim look had come over the officer's face.
"I judge it's about the stolen wheel and generator. I met your daughter this evening."
"So she told me. However, what I really wanted to talk to you about was the Molberg gang."
"I don't need to tell you that they are at the bottom of this recent outburst of thievery," the detective went on, eyeing his caller shrewdly. "Unless they're captured soon, you'll be in a bad spot, Davis."