The Story of a Doctor's Telephone Part 32

When the jelly was done, and Mary had begun to fill the waiting gla.s.ses she thought, "I'd better see if John is back. He may go out again before I can deliver that message." So she set the kettle on the back of the stove and went to ascertain if her husband had returned. No answer to her ring. She had better ring again to be sure of it. No answer. She went back to the kitchen. When the gla.s.ses were all filled and she had held first one and then another up to get the sunlight through the clear beautiful redness of them, she began setting them back to cool. The telephone! She hurried in and rang again to see if John had got back.

Silence. She sighed and hung up the receiver. "I'd like to get it off my mind." As she started toward the kitchen again the door-bell rang. She went to open the door, and wonder of wonders--an old friend she had not seen for years!

"I am pa.s.sing through town, Mary, and have just three quarters of an hour till my train goes. Now sit down and _talk_."

And the pair of them did talk, oblivious to everything about them. How the minutes did fly and the questions too! The 'phone rang in the next room--two rings. On Mary's accustomed ear it fell unheeded. She talked on. Again two rings. She did not notice.

"Isn't that your 'phone?" asked the visitor.

"O, _yes_! You knocked it clean out of my head, Alice. Excuse me a minute," and she vanished.

"Did you give that message to the doctor?"

"He is not back yet."

"I saw him go into the office not ten minutes ago."

"I have 'phoned twice and failed to find him."

"I hoped when I saw him leave the office that he had started down to see my little boy, but of course he hasn't if he didn't get the message."

"I am sorry. An old friend I had not seen for years came in and of course it went out of my mind for a few minutes, though I 'phoned twice before she came. I am sure he will be back in a few minutes and I will send him right down, Mr. Nelson."

"Why do you do that?" asked her friend, pointedly as she came in. "Why take upon yourself the responsibility of people's messages being delivered."

"It _is_ an awful responsibility. I don't know why I do it--so many people seem to expect it as a matter of course--"

"It's a great deal easier for each person to deliver his own message than for you to have a half dozen on your mind at once. I wouldn't do it. You'll be a raving lunatic by the next time I see you."

"At least I'll have ample time in which to become one," laughed Mary.

"I'm going," announced her friend, suddenly rising. "I could spare five or ten minutes more but if I sit here you'll forget that 'phone again.

But take my advice, Mary, and inst.i.tute a change in the order of things."

When she had gone Mary sat for a few minutes lost in thought. Then, remembering, she sprang up and went to the 'phone. No answer to her ring. "Dear me! Will I _never_ get that message delivered and off my mind." Soon a ring came.

"Isn't he back _yet_?"

"I 'phoned about three minutes ago and failed to get him. By the way, Mr. Nelson, will you just 'phone the doctor at the office, please? That will be a more direct way to get him as I seem to fail altogether this morning. I am sure that he can't be gone much longer," she said very pleasantly and hung up the receiver. The responsibility had been gracefully s.h.i.+fted and she was free for a while. Other occasions would arise when she could not be free, but in cases of this kind her friend's clear insight had helped her out.

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

"h.e.l.lo."

"Is this Dr. Blank?"

"Yes."

"My husband has just started for your office. He says he's going to send you down. I don't need a doctor. Will you tell him that?"

"I'll tell him you _said_ so."

"Well, I don't. So don't you come!"

"All right. I haven't got time to be bothered with you anyway. The sick people take my time."

In a few minutes the 'phone rang again.

"Dr. Blank, can you come over to the Woolson Hotel?"

"Right away?"

"Yes, if you can. There's a case here I've treated a little that I'm not satisfied about."

"All right, Doctor, I'll be there in a few minutes."

When he reached the hotel and had examined the patient he said, "He has smallpox."

"I began to suspect that."

"Not a bit of doubt of it."

"The hotel is full of people--I'm afraid there'll be a panic."

"We must get him out of here. We'll have to improvise a pest-house at once. I'll go and see about it."

That evening about an hour after supper the doctor's daughter came hurriedly into the room where her mother was sitting.

"Mother," she exclaimed, "there's an awful lot of people in the office, a regular mob and they're as mad as fury."

"What about?" exclaimed her mother, startled.

"They're mad at father for putting the tent for a smallpox patient down in their neighborhood."

"Is he in the office now?"

"He was there when I first went in but he isn't there just now. Father wasn't a bit disturbed, but I am. I got out of there. The mayor went into the office just as I came out."

Uneasy, in spite of herself, Mary waited her husband's return. Ten o'clock, and he had not come. She went to the 'phone and called the office. The office man answered.

"Where is the doctor?"

"He was in here a few minutes ago, but there's a big fuss down at the smallpox tent and I think he's gone down there."

Mary rang off and with nervous haste called the mayor's residence.

"Is this Mr. Felton?"