“Eh? What's that?” demanded the voice in the receiver, impatiently. “Hello! Who is this, anyway?”
“Is there somebody sick or—or anything?” asked Martha. “No—no, Miss Martha. It's all right, really. Yes, indeed, I—Oh, quite right. Yes.”
“But you look so frightened.”
“Do I? Oh, not in the least. That is, I... Yes, yes, I hear. Yes, this is Bangs speaking.”
“Oh, it is! Well, I'm glad you're speaking at last. You're Galusha Bangs, you say?”
“Yes. Yes, I—I think so.”
“You THINK so! That's good! Don't you know whether you are or not?”
“I meant I—I thought I said so. I am Galusha Bangs. Yes.”
“Good! Then we've settled so much. You know who I am, of course?”
Did he? Oh, if he only did not! He cast another alarmed glance in his landlady's direction. He wondered if the voice which was so distinctly audible in his ear could be heard and understood in the room. Oh, this was dreadful, dreadful!