His wife heard a man's voice, then her husband reply, then the door shut. She lay back on her pillow but it was evident John was not coming back. She must have dozed, for it seemed to her a long time had gone by when she started to hear a noise in the other room. John had not yet got off.
“You have to go some place, do you?” she called.
“Yes,—just a little way. Look out for the 'phone, Mary. I think I'll have to go down to Hanson's tonight, to meet the stork.”
“But how can I get word to you? They have no 'phone or that man wouldn't have come after you.”
“Well, I have promised Hanson and I'll have to go there. If he 'phones before I get back tell him he'll have to come down to Stetson's after me. Or, you might wake one of the boys and send him over.”
“I'd rather try to wake Rip Van Winkle,” said Mary, in a tone that settled it.
In about an hour the doctor was back and snuggling down under the covers.
“They've got a fine boy over to Stetson's,” he announced to his sleepy wife.
“They have!” she exclaimed, almost getting awake. Again they slept.
Ting-a-ling-ling-ling. Ting-a-ling-ling-ling. Ting-a-ling-ling-ling.