"That was wrong of you," Mildred said gravely. "Now please go at once for the doctor, and I will stay here till you come back."
Tiredness had to be put aside for the present. Mildred saw Miss Sophy off the premises, and then brought warm water to bathe the cut, tying it up with a clean pocket-handkerchief of her own. The hand seemed to be a more serious matter, and Miss Coxen was crying with the pain. Mildred bathed it gently pending the doctor's arrival.
"I'm sure I can't think how ever I did it," Miss Coxen said plaintively more than once. "It was being in a hurry, I suppose. We'd promised a new dress to Miss Gilbert this week, and there was something else to finish off first; and Sophy is so slow. Oh! Don't touch—please don't touch me there. Just let the water run over my hand, that's all. Sophy could never do this. She always flusters and hurts people. I do hope the doctor won't touch my hand. I couldn't stand it, if he did; I should have to scream. I wonder how soon I shall be able to work again?"
When Mr. Bateson walked in, a certain amount of "touching" was of course inevitable; and not of touching only, since the thumb proved to be badly dislocated. Putting it right meant no doubt considerable pain, and Miss Coxen did not fail to carry out her promise of screaming.
"Come, come! That isn't quite needful," Mr. Bateson observed. "Rather bad at the moment, but soon over. You'll have to keep this hand in a sling for a while, and give it complete rest. How long? Oh, for some little time. I'll come again to see how it is getting on. Work in two days? Dear me, no; nor in two weeks. Of course a great deal depends on strict attention to orders. I shall look in soon; and meanwhile you've got to take a holiday."
Miss Coxen wore an expression of dismay, and Miss Sophy's loose mouth dropped open, while Mr. Bateson turned his attention to Mildred, who had long been his patient.
"When did you come in here?" he asked.
"Perhaps half-an-hour before you did."
"Well, you have to go home now. Any hot water handy?" he demanded of Miss Sophy. "Get a cup of tea for Miss Pattison, please, as quick as you can."
Mildred protested, but the doctor refused to listen; and Mr. Bateson waited till the feat was accomplished.