One thing was absolutely clear: she must economize drastically and immediately. And one of the first steps in that direction was to get rid of the nurse and the doctor. Except for the neuritis in her arm she was really quite well now, and both nurse and doctor were completely unnecessary. But it required a tremendous effort to tell them their services were no longer required. Her illness seemed to have sapped her will power. The truth was (though she would never have admitted it) she was afraid of both the doctor and the nurse. Only her greater fear of the avalanche of the bills that was threatening her gave her a sort of nervous determination.
When Dr. McPherson came in his car at ten o’clock that morning her heart was beating wildly. She wondered even then if her courage would be equal to the task.
“Good morning,” he announced genially, walking briskly into the breakfast-room, “and how are we this morning? Getting along famously, eh?”
“About the same,” she replied dully.
“Like the massage?”
“Fairly. I can’t feel it doing me any good, though.”
“Oh, you haven’t been having it long enough yet. We’ll soon set you up again, you wait.... After all, you’re young. You’ve the best part of life before you. An old lady of seventy I visited yesterday said if she were only——”
“Doctor!” Her voice was trying to be firm.
“Yes?”
“I want you to stop visiting me.” (The thing was done!)