Page:Conflict (1927).pdf/100

 prove groundless! Why, he'd give John Sheldon half his fortune to have him come over now, immediately, and tell him he'd been all kinds of a fool. John Sheldon had had many similar half-fortunes left him.

Sidney tiptoed noiselessly past Dora's door (thank heaven, she was still sleeping! Dora mustn't suspect), and stole down the stairs to the telephone.

John Sheldon had been asleep just one hour when the telephone-bell, muffled out of regard for Charlotte, burred softly on the base-board by his head. He had been out till twelve helping an old man reluctantly leave the world; and till nearly five helping a baby reluctantly enter it. Charlotte heard the burr. It always woke her up, though John wasn't aware of it.

'Hello,' she heard him saying. 'Why, hello, Sid,' so pleasantly—so almost enthusiastically, as if it was a perfectly Christian hour, and he was about to receive a delightful invitation of some sort. 'Why, of course not,' he went on in the same tone. 'Not a bit too early, Sid. Almost time to get up, anyway. Go ahead.' Silence then as he listened, and afterwards, 'I'll come right over. I'll be there in ten minutes.'