At the mention of the policeman's name, Sister had given a gasp¹. No one noticed her as Daddy Morrison pushed back his chair and went into the hall.  
"I wonder what he wants?" mused² Mother Morrison, helping³ Ralph to blackberries.
 
"Sister, you're spilling juice on the tablecloth," reproved Dick. "Look out, there goes another spot."
 
Sister was trying to eat her berries, and also plan what to say when the policeman should send for her. She was sure that he had heard about the broken case of butterflies, for Jimmie, when greatly provoked at her long ago, had threatened to tell Mr. Dougherty of her next misdeed.
 
"I like Mr. Dougherty," announced Brother sweetly.
 
No broken butterflies lay heavy on HIS conscience.
 
Louise and Grace finished their dessert and were excused to go upstairs. The others lingered at the table because Daddy Morrison and Mr. Dougherty had gone into the living-room and they did not wish to disturb them.
 
"Lelia," called Daddy Morrison presently, "will you come here for a moment?"
 
Leila was Mother Morrison's name, and she rose and went across the hall quickly.
 
There was a low murmur⁴ of talk, an exclamation⁵ from Mother Morrison, and then the voice of Mr. Dougherty in the hall.
 
"Then I'm to tell the Chief that you'll drop in tonight?" he was saying. "All right, sir, that'll be satisfactory, of course. I'm not overly fond of this sort of work, but when a woman makes a complaint, you know, we haven't much choice."
 
"I understand," Daddy Morrison's deep, pleasant voice answered. "I'll get at the truth, and tell the Chief I'll be down at the town hall before ten o'clock. Good-night, Dougherty."
 
"Good-night, sir," said Mr. Dougherty and the screen door slammed.
 
Daddy Morrison came back to the dining-room.
 
"Rhodes and Elizabeth, I want to speak to you," he said very gravely. "Come up to my den⁶."
 
Sister's small face went very white.
 
"I didn't mean to, honest I didn't, Jimmie!" she cried, hurling⁷ herself on that astonished young man and clinging desperately⁸ to his coat lapels. "I didn't know they were there till they fell over."
 
"What ails⁹ her?" Jimmie demanded, staring at his father. "What fell over?"
 
"Your case of butterflies," Brother informed him sadly "We were playing out in the barn and Betty reached up to open a window and the pole knocked the box off."
 
"Well, I must say—" began Jimmie wrathfully. "I must say! If you two don't learn to leave my things alone—"
 
"Save your lecture, Jimmie," advised his father quickly. "I didn't know about the butterflies, but I want to ask the children about something else. Come upstairs, now. You, too, Mother."
 
Brother and Sister followed Mother and Daddy Morrison upstairs, puzzled to know what was to be said to them. If the butterflies made so little difference to anyone—except Jimmie, who was perfectly¹¹ boiling, it was plain to see—what else was there to scold them about? For that it was to be a scolding n............