“Yes.”
“Worse tonight? In what way?”
An instant's silence. “Mrs. Brownson?” Silence. “Mrs. Brownson!” Silence.
“Damn that woman! She's rung off.”
“Well, don't swear into the 'phone, John. It's against the rules. Besides, she might hear you.”
The doctor was growling his way to his clothes.
“I suppose I've got to go down there,” was all the answer he made. When he was dressed and the screen had banged behind him after the manner of screens, Mary settled herself to sleep which came very soon. But she was soon routed out of it. She went to the 'phone, expecting to hear a querulous woman's voice asking, “Has the doctor started yet?” and her lips were framing the old and satisfactory reply, “Yes, he must be nearly there now,” when a man's voice asked, “Is this Dr. Blank's residence?”
“Yes.”
“Is the doctor there?”
“No, but he will be back in about twenty minutes.”