CHAPTER XIII.
A long, importunate peal. The doctor rose and went swiftly. Marylistened with interest to what was to come:
"?"
"Yes."
"?"
"Yes."
"?"
"Yes."
"?"
"Yes."
"?"
"Yes."
He rang off.
"That was decided in the affirmative," said Mary.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling. Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
"Doctor, do you think the baby will cut any more teeth this summer?"
"You'd better ring up Solomon and ask that."
"Well--if he gets through teething--don't you think he'll be all right?"
"If he gets through with the way you _feed_ him he'll be all right."
"Well, his teething has lots to do with it."
"No, it don't--not a darned bit. If you'll take care of his stomach histeeth will take care of themselves. It's what goes _between_ the teeththat does the mischief. I keep telling people that every day, and oncein a while I find someone with sense enough to believe it. But a lot of'em know too much--then the baby has to pay for it."
"Well, I'll be awful careful, Doctor."
"All right then. And stick right to the baby through the hot months. Letme hear from it. Good-bye."
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling--three times. Mary rose and went. An agitatedvoice said, "Come and see the baby!" and was gone. "She is terriblyfrightened," thought Mary, as she rang central.
"Some one rang Dr. Blank. Can you find out who it was?"
"I'm afraid not."
"Will you please try?"
"Yes, but people ought to do their own talking and not bother us somuch."
"I know," said Mary gently, "but this is a mother badly frightened abouther baby--she did not think what she was doing and left the 'phonewithout giving me her name."
Central tried with such good result that Mary was soon in possession ofthe name and number. She telephoned that she would send the doctor downas soon as she could find him, which she thought would be in a fewminutes. Then she telephoned a house where he had been for several daysmaking evening visits.
"Is Dr. Blank there?"
"He _was_ here. He's just gone."
"Is he too far away for you to call him?"
"Run and see, Tommy."
Silence. Then, "Yes, he's got too far to hear. I'm sorry."
"Very well. Thank you."
"Let me see," she meditated, "yes, I think he goes there."
She got the house. "Is Dr. Blank there?"
"He's just coming through the gate."
"Please ask him to come to the 'phone." After a minute his voice askedwhat was wanted and Mary delivered her message.
When her husband came home that night, she said, "John, there's one moreplace you're to go and you're to be there at nine o'clock."
"The deuce!" he looked at his watch, "ten minutes to nine now. Where isit?"
"I don't know."
"Don't know?"
"No. I haven't the slightest idea."
"Why didn't you find out," he asked, sharply. Mary arched her brows."Suppose _you_ find out."
John rang central. With twinkling eyes his wife listened.
"Hello, central. Who was calling Dr. Blank a while ago?"
"A good many people call, Dr. Blank. I really cannot say."
The voice was icily regular, splendidly null. It nettled the doctor.
"Suppose you try to find out."
"People who need a doctor ought to be as much interested as we are. Idon't know who it was." And the receiver went up.
"Damned impudence!" said the doctor, slamming up his receiver and facingabout.
"Wait, John. That girl has had to run down the woman with the sick baby.She didn't give _her_ name either. Central had lots of trouble infinding her. It's small wonder she rebelled when I came at her thesecond time. So all I could do was to deliver the message just as itcame, 'Tell the doctor to come down to our house and to be here at nineo'clock.'"
"Consultation, I suppose. They'll ring again pretty soon, I dare say,and want to know why I don't hurry up."
But nothing further was heard from the message or the messenger thatnight or ever after.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
Can we move Henry out into the yard? It's so hot inside.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
Can we move Jennie into the house? It gets pretty cold along towardmorning.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
Doctor, you know those pink tablets you left? I forget just how you saidto take 'em.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
The baby's throwing up like everything.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
Johnny's swallowed a nickel!.... You say it won't?.... And not give himanything at all? Well, I needn't have been so scared, then.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
The baby pulled the cat's tail and she scratched her in the face. I'mafraid she's put her eye out..... No, the _baby's_ eye. I'm afraid shecan't see..... No, she's not crying. She's going to sleep..... Well, Iguess she _can't_ see very well with her eyes shut..... Then you won'tcome down?.... All right, Doctor, you know best.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling. Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
"Is this the doctor?"
"Yes."
"The baby has a cold and I rubbed her chest with vaseline and greasedher nose. Is that all right?"
"All right."
"And I am going to make her some onion syrup, if I can remember how it'smade. How do you make it?"
"Why--O, _you_ remember how to make it."
The truth is the doctor was not profoundly learned in some of the "homeremedies" and was more helpless than the little mother herself, whichshe did not suspect.
"You slice the onions and put sugar on them, don't you?"
"Yes, that'll be all right," he said, hastily putting up the receiver.
* * * * *
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.
"Doctor, when you come down, bring something for my fever--"
"Yes, I will!"
"And for my nervousness--"
"Yes, yes." The doctor turned quickly from the 'phone, but it rangagain.
"And for my back, Doctor--"
"Yes. _Yes!_" He put the receiver up with a bang and seizing his hatrushed away before there should be any more.
* * * * *
Three rings.
"Is this Dr. Blank's?"
"Yes."
"Is he there?"
"No, but I expect him very soon."
"When he comes will you tell him to come out to Frank Tiller's?"
"Does he know where that is?"
"He was here once."
"Lately?"
"No, some time ago."
"Please tell me what street you live on, so the doctor will know whereto go." Mary heard a consultation of a minute.
"It's on Oak street."
"East Oak or West?" Another consultation.
"North."
"Very well. I'll tell the doctor as soon as he comes."
"Tell him to come as quick as he possibly can."
Five minutes later the office ring came. Mary went obediently lest herhusband might not be in. She heard the same voice ask, "Is this you,Doctor?"
"Yes."
"We
want you to come out to Frank Tiller's as quick as you possiblycan."
"Where is that?"
"_You've_ been here."
"_Where do you live?_"
"We live on Oak street."
"East or West?"
"North."
"That street runs east and west!"
"Ma, he says the street runs east and west."
"Well, maybe it does. I've not got my directions here yet--then it mustbe west."
"It's on West Oak street, Doctor."
The doctor was not quite able to locate the place yet.
"Is it the house where the girl had the sore throat?"
"Ma, he says, is it the place where the girl had the sore throat?"
"It's just in front of that house."
"She says it's just in front of that house and come just as quick as youpossibly can."
"What does she mean by 'in front of it'?"
"Why, it's just across the street, and come just as quick as youpossibly--"
"Yes. I'll _run_."
Mary smiled, but she was glad to hear her husband add a little morepleasantly, "I'll be out there after a little."
When he came home he said, laughing, "That girl up there took themedicine I gave her and pounded the bottle to flinders before my eyes."
"What for?"
"O, she was mad."
"What did you do then?"
"Reached down in my pocket and took out another one just like it andtold them to give it according to directions."
"Nothing like being prepared."
"I knew pretty well what I was up against before I went. The oldcomplaint," said John, drawing on his slippers as he spoke.