The Story of a Doctor's Telephone Part 23

"Well, it wouldn't surprise me much if that young fellow should come into my office one of these days and offer to settle that old score now that he knows about it."

"Don't you take it if he does!" and Mary left the room quite unconscious that her p.r.o.noun was without an antecedent.

Ting-a-ling-ling-ling-ling-ling.

"Is this you, Doctor?"

"It is."

"I expect you will have to come out to our house."

"Who is it?"

"This is Mary Milton."

"What's the matter out there, Mrs. Milton?"

"Polly's gone and hurt her shoulder. I guess she run it into the ground."

"Was she thrown from a horse or a vehicle?"

"No."

"Then how could she run it into the ground?"

"Polly Milton can run _everything_ into the ground!" and the tone was exasperation itself. "I come purty near havin' to send for you yesterday, but I managed to get 'er out."

"Out of _what_?"

"The clothes-wringer. She caught her stomach fast between the rollers and nearly took a piece out of it. n.o.body wanted her to turn it but she would do it."

"Well, what has she done _today_?" asked the doctor, getting impatient.

"I'm plum ashamed to tell ye. She was a-playin' leap-frog."

"Good! I'd like to play it myself once more."

"I thought you'd be scandalized. Some of the girls come over to see 'er and the first thing I knowed they was out in the yard playin' leap-frog like a pa.s.sel o' boys."

"That's good for 'em," announced the doctor.

"It wasn't very good for Polly."

"The shoulder is probably dislocated. I'll be out in a little while and we'll soon fix it."

"But a great big girl nearly fourteen years old oughtn't--"

"She's all right. Don't you scold her too much." He laughed as he hung up the receiver, then ordered his horse brought round and in a few minutes was on his way to the luckless maiden.

Ting-a-ling-ling-ling--three rings.

"Is this Dr. Blank?"

"Yes."

"Can you come down to James Curtis's right away?"

"Yes--I guess so. What's the matter?"

James Curtis stated the matter and the doctor put up the receiver, went to the door and looked out.

"Gee-mi-nee! It's as dark as a stack of black cats," he said.

In a little while he was off. He had to go horseback and as the horse he usually rode was lame he took Billy who was little more than a colt.

Before Mary retired she went to the door and opened it. It was fearfully dark but John had said it was only a few miles. His faithful steed could find the way if he could not. John always got through somehow. With this comforting a.s.surance she went to bed. By and by the 'phone was ringing and she was springing up and hastening to answer it. To the hurried inquiry she replied, "He is in the country."

"How soon will he be back?"

She looked at the clock. Nearly three hours since he left home.

"I expected him before this; he will surely be here soon."

A message was left for him to come at once to a certain street and number, and Mary went back to bed. But she could not sleep. Soon she was at the 'phone again, asking central to give her the residence of James Curtis.

"h.e.l.lo."

"Is this Mr. Curtis?"

"Yes, ma'am."

"Is Dr. Blank there?"

"He was, but he started home about an hour ago. He ought to be there by this time."

"Thank you," said Mary, rea.s.sured. He would be home in a little bit then and she went back to her pillow.

It was well she could not know that her husband was lost in the woods.

The young horse, not well broken to the roads, had strayed from the beaten path. The doctor had first become aware of it when his hat was brushed off by low branches. He dismounted, and holding the bridle on one arm, got down on hands and knees and began feeling about with both hands in the blackness. It seemed a fruitless search, but at last he found it and put it securely on his head. He did not remount, but tried to find his way back into the path.

After awhile the colt stopped suddenly. He urged it on. Snap! A big something was hurled through the bushes and landed at the doctor's feet with a heavy thud. The pommel of the saddle had caught on a grape vine and the girths had snapped with the strain. John made a few remarks while he was picking it up and a few more while he was getting it on the back of the shying colt. But he finally landed it and managed to get it half-fastened. He stood still, not knowing which way to turn. A dog was barking somewhere--he would go in that direction. Still keeping the bridle over his arm he spread his hands before him and slowly moved on.

At last he stopped. He seemed to be getting no nearer to the dog. All at once, and not a great way off, he saw a fine sight. It was a lighted doorway with the figure of a man in it. He shouted l.u.s.tily,

"Bring a lantern out here, my friend, if you please. I guess I'm lost."