“How could I keep it perfectly quiet? I _have_ to use it! You know I have everything to do. And anyhow I don’t know that’s it’s any worse to use it. I keep it bandaged of course.” ....... “Oh, Stephen’s well enough. He’s never _sick_, you know. But into _every_thing! He drives me frantic when I’m flying around and trying to get the work done up; and I don’t know what to do with him when he gets into those tantrums. It’ll be an awful relief to me when he starts to school with the others. Perhaps the _teachers_ can do something with him. I don’t envy them.” ....... “Mercy, _no_, Mattie! How can you think of such a thing? I never can take the time for outings! I was right in the midst of scrubbing the kitchen floor when you rang up. I’m way behind in everything. I always am. There’s not a room in the house that’s fit to look at. And I’ve got to make some of those special health-flour biscuits for supper. The doctor said to keep trying them for Henry.” ....... “How can I go out more and rest more? You know what there is to do. _Somebody’s_ got to do it.” ....... “Yes, I know that’s what the doctor keeps telling me. I’d just like to have him spend a day in my place and see how he thinks I could manage. Nobody understands! People talk as though I worked the way I do just to amuse myself. What _else_ can I do? It’s all got to be done, hasn’t it?” ....... “No, it’s nice of you to suggest it, but I couldn’t manage it. It would just waste your time to come round this way and stop. It’s simply out of the question for me to think of going.” ....... “Well, thank you just the same. I appreciate your thinking of me. I’m sure I hope you have a lovely time.” * * * * * An ominous silence in the house greeted her as she hung up the receiver and turned away. What could Stephen be up to, _now_? She had not heard a sound from him for some time. That was always alarming from Stephen. “Stephen!” She called quickly and stood listening for an answer, her fine dark brows drawn together tensely. The house waited emptily with her for the answer which did not come. “Stephen!” she shouted, turning so that her voice would carry up the stairs. “_Tick-tick-tick-tick-tick-tick_--” whispered the little mantelpiece clock hurriedly in the silence. She was rarely quiet enough to hear that sound, but when it did come to her ears, it always said pressingly, “So much to do! So much to do! So much to do!” She looked at it and frowned. Half-past two already! And that floor only half scrubbed. What possessed people to call you up on the telephone at all hours? Didn’t anybody realize what she had to do!