"I’ve read in _Home Notes_ or somewhere that when burglars appear, if you light up they get frightened and go away." They had roused Aunt Katharine who had come as company for a night or two and had gone to bed at half-past nine. "What’s the good of frightening them if you’ve sent for the police?" asked Aunt Katharine. "Better let them get caught red-handed." She invariably objected to being roused from her first sleep. "Oh goodness," wailed Betty. "It sounds like murder." She felt quite thrilled. The maids cowered shivering in the passage. "I heard them flower pots again, Miss. ’E’s either got in or--’e’s----" They distinctly heard the pantry window move. "Well, the door between is locked," said the quiet voice of Mrs. Leighton, "and the police ought to be here very soon now." Jean took the curlers out of her hair. "I wish they would hurry up," said she. Elma got under Aunt Katharine’s eiderdown. "I may as well die warm," she remarked with her teeth chattering. There was not much inclination to jokes however, and Elma’s speech was touched with a certain abandonment of fear. The situation was very trying. When the police did arrive and ran at a quick, stealthy run to the pantry window, they waited in terror for the expected shuffle and outcry. "It’s really awful," whispered Betty, clinging in despair to her mother. "I can’t think why they are so quiet," said Mrs. Leighton. "I think I must open the kitchen door." "Oh, ma’am, please, ma’am." Cook at last became hysterical. "Don’t move that door, ma’am; we’ve had scare enough. Let ’em catch ’em themselves." Betty sat down on the stairs and leant her head on her hands. "They must be arresting them," she said, "with handcuffs. And papa said they always have to read over the charge. They must be reading over the charge now, I think." "In the dark!" said Aunt Katharine with a certain eloquent sniff. "They have lanterns, dark lanterns. Isn’t it beautiful?" said Betty. She rose in her white dressing-gown. "Listen," said she. The door-bell suddenly clanged. Every one screamed except Mrs. Leighton. "I do wish you would keep quiet," said she. "The police will think we are being murdered." She moved to the door. But again she was arrested by piercing directions. "Talk to them at the window, mummy. They might be the burglars themselves. How are we to know? Do talk at the window." "I’m extremely cold," said Mrs. Leighton, "and I’d rather ask them in whoever they are, than talk to them at an open window." By the time she had finished, however, Jean, the valiant, had the window open and had discovered a policeman. They had "scoured the premises," he said, and no thief was to be found. Mrs. Leighton wrapped herself in an eiderdown quilt. "Will you come in, please, and open my kitchen door? Cook thinks they may be there," she said.