The low voices of doctor and patient did not carry beyond the corridor; but at a step Miss Sterling bent forward.

Dr. Temple was taking an instrument from his bag.

“Stethoscope,” she whispered.

For several minutes no sound came from the sick-room.  The listeners breathed anxiously.

“Good as anybody’s!” The tone was emphatic.

Miss Sterling caught Mrs. Albright’s hand in a rapturous squeeze.

“Do you mean—­no heart disease?” Miss Twining’s soft voice was shrilled with incredulous joy.

They could not catch the reply; but they smiled to each other in delight.

Shortly Mrs. Nobbs and the Doctor went downstairs, leaving the door free.

The others hurried across.

Miss Twining was tearfully excited.  “Oh! did you hear?  He says my heart is all right, and in the morning I can go down to breakfast!  He’ll insure my living to be a hundred years old—­as if I ever would!” She laughed quiveringly.  “Those pink tablets I’m to take after meals, and the brown ones if I should feel bad—­I never shall again!  I believe it is two hours apart—­you see!  He says it is just a little nervous breakdown—­There isn’t any anodyne in them!  Oh, I’m so glad you called him!”

CHAPTER XXXV

A NEW WIRE

Early the next morning Juanita Sterling was awakened by a heavy thud.  Where was it?  It came again.  She sprang out of bed, threw a robe around her, and ran over to the window.

Some distance below appeared a grinning face.  A man was coming up a ladder.

“Don’t be scared, ma’am!  I’m only going to put on the loop.  Isn’t this the room where the ’phone’s to be?”

“Why—­I don’t know,” she hesitated.

“It’s to go in Miss Sterling’s room.”

“Who ordered it?”

“Nelson Randolph of the Paper Company.”

“Oh, yes!” she cried, “that’s all right.”

“Where will you have it?  On this side?”

“I—­guess so—­” She looked around.  “Yes, here’ll be a good place.”

“All right, ma’am!  Another man ’ll be up to do the wiring.  I’m only putt’n’ on the loop.  Orders were to rush it through—­that’s why I’m so early.”  He grinned.  “Hope I haven’t disturbed you, ma’am.”

She assured him that she was not in the least disturbed.  She drew down the shades and turned back to the room.  It was not yet six o’clock.

A telephone of her very own!  Delightful possibilities loomed before her through all her dressing.  No more dreading of stormy days when she would be shut in the house; no more fears to torture her in the wakeful hours of the night.  Help and protection would be hers at call!—­And she could talk with Polly!  She wanted to dance for very joy.  And only two days ago her heart was aching!  She felt as if it would never ache again.