“You lovely, lovely, darling girl!” she cried, throwing her arms around Elnora and kissing her.  With her lips close Elnora’s ear, Polly whispered, “Sister!  Dear, dear sister!”

Elnora drew back, staring at Polly in confused amazement.  She was a beautiful girl, her eyes were sparkling and dancing, and as she turned to make way for the others, she kept one of Elnora’s hands in hers.  Polly would have dropped dead in that instant if Edith Carr could have killed with a look, for not until then did she realize that Polly would even many a slight, and that it had been a great mistake to bring her.

Edith bowed low, muttered something and touched Elnora’s fingers.  Tom took his cue from Polly.

“I always follow a good example,” he said, and before any one could divine his intention he kissed Elnora as he gripped her hand and cried:  “Mighty glad to meet you!  Like to meet you a dozen times a day, you know!”

Elnora laughed and her heart pumped smoothly.  They had accomplished their purpose.  They had let her know they were there through compulsion, but on her side.  In that instant only pity was in Elnora’s breast for the flashing dark beauty, standing with smiling face while her heart must have been filled with exceeding bitterness.  Elnora stepped back from the entrance.

“Come into the shade,” she urged.  “You must have found it warm on these country roads.  Won’t you lay aside your dust-coats and have a cool drink?  Philip, would you ask mother to come, and bring that pitcher from the spring house?”

They entered the arbour exclaiming at the dim, green coolness.  There was plenty of room and wide seats around the sides, a table in the centre, on which lay a piece of embroidery, magazines, books, the moth apparatus, and the cyanide jar containing several specimens.  Polly rejoiced in the cooling shade, slipped off her duster, removed her hat, rumpled her pretty hair and seated herself to indulge in the delightful occupation of paying off old scores.  Tom Levering followed her example.  Edith took a seat but refused to remove her hat and coat, while Henderson stood in the entrance.

“There goes something with wings!  Should you have that?” cried Levering.

He seized a net from the table and raced across the garden after a butterfly.  He caught it and came back mightily pleased with himself.  As the creature struggled in the net, Elnora noted a repulsed look on Edith Carr’s face.  Levering helped the situation beautifully.

“Now what have I got?” he demanded.  “Is it just a common one that every one knows and you don’t keep, or is it the rarest bird off the perch?”

“You must have had practice, you took that so perfectly,” said Elnora.  “I am sorry, but it is quite common and not of a kind I keep.  Suppose all of you see how beautiful it is and then it may go nectar hunting again.”

She held the butterfly where all of them could see, showed its upper and under wing colours, answered Polly’s questions as to what it ate, how long it lived, and how it died.  Then she put it into Polly’s hand saying:  “Stand there in the light and loosen your hold slowly and easily.”