She knew that if he had been going in the buggy he would have been glad to do Mrs. S.'s bidding. He often carried ice and other needful things to homes where he visited. Mary pictured her husband picking his way along a muddy country road, his case in one hand and the "roast" in the other, and thought within herself, "He'll be in a better mood for a roast when he arrives than when he started." * * * * * Mary was out in the kitchen making jelly. At the critical moment when the beaded bubbles were "winking at the brim" came the ring. She lifted the kettle to one side, wiped her hands and went. "Is this you, Mary?" "Yes." "Watch the 'phone a little bit, please. I have to be out about half an hour." "I'm always watching the 'phone, John, always, _always_!" She went back to her jelly. She put it back on the fire, an inert mass with all the bubbles died out of it. Scarcely had she done so when the 'phone rang--two rings. Surely the doctor had not got beyond hearing distance. He would answer. But perhaps he had--he was a very swift walker. The only way to be sure of it was to go to the telephone and listen. She went hastily back and as she put the receiver to her ear there came a buzz against it which made her jump. "Hello," she said. "I wanted the doctor, Mrs. Blank, do you know where he is?" "He just 'phoned me that he--" an unmistakable sound arose from the kitchen stove. The jelly was boiling over! Instinct is older than the telephone. The receiver dangled in air while Mary rushed madly to the rescue. "I might have known it," she said to herself, as she pushed the kettle aside and rushed back to the 'phone. "I guess they cut us off," said the voice. "I was just saying," said Mary, "that the doctor 'phoned me a few minutes ago he would be out for half an hour." "Will you please tell him when he comes in to call up 83?" The man goes on his way, relieved of further responsibility in the matter. It will be a very easy thing for the doctor's wife to call up her husband and give him the message. Let us see. When the jelly was done, and Mary had begun to fill the waiting glasses she thought, "I'd better see if John is back. He may go out again before I can deliver that message." So she set the kettle on the back of the stove and went to ascertain if her husband had returned. No answer to her ring. She had better ring again to be sure of it. No answer. She went back to the kitchen. When the glasses were all filled and she had held first one and then another up to get the sunlight through the clear beautiful redness of them, she began setting them back to cool. The telephone! She hurried in and rang again to see if John had got back. Silence. She sighed and hung up the receiver. "I'd like to get it off my mind." As she started toward the kitchen again the door-bell rang. She went to open the door, and wonder of wonders--an old friend she had not seen for years!