"Pardon me, Miss Martha," said Galusha, "but wasn't that our--I should
say your ring?"
Martha smiled. "I didn't notice," she said. "You're always thinkin' you
hear our ring, Mr. Bangs. The last time you heard it and called me to
the 'phone, it turned out to be Emulous Dodd, the undertaker. He said,
'I don't want you.' I told him I was thankful for that."
Her lodger shook his head. "I'm very sorry," he said. "These telephone
calls down here--'Two long and three short' and--ah--the like--they
do confuse me, I admit. I really can't seem to get accustomed to them.
Now... Oh, but that IS your ring, isn't it, Miss Martha?"
It was. Martha took down the receiver.
"Yes... yes," she said. "Yes, this is Phipps.... Oh, all right.... The
girl says it's a long-distance call," she added, turning to Galusha.
"Who can be callin' ME from long distance?... Yes... yes.... This is
Miss Phipps speakin' now.... Who?... Oh, Mr. Bangs? Yes, he's right
here. It's for you, Mr. Bangs."
Galusha took the receiver from her hand. "Ah--hello!" he hailed. The
wire buzzed and sang. Then, in his ear and with surprising clearness and
nearness, a voice said, brusquely: "Hello! Hello, there! Is that you,
Loosh?"
Galusha recognized the voice. He had not heard it for a long time, but
he recognized it at once. And, recognizing it, something like panic
seized him.
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