Mrs Forsyth answered the telephone, and told them he hadn't been two hours in his bed, and she wouldn't get him out again for an unconscious deathbed, and him with bronchitis on him and two sermons to preach today." "I'll warrant Mrs Forsyth caught it in the morning," said John Murchison.
"That she did.

The doctor was as cross as two sticks that she hadn't had him out to answer the phone.

'I just spoke up,' she said, 'and told him I didn't see how he was going to do any good to the pour soul over a telephone wire.' 'It isn't that,' he said, 'but I might have put them on to Peter Fratch for the funeral.

We've never had an undertaker in the church before,' he said; 'he's just come, and he ought to be supported.
Now I expect it's too late, they'll have gone to Liscombe.' He rang them up right away, but they had." "Dr Drummond can't stand Liscombe," said Alec, as they all laughed a little at the Doctor's foible, all except Advena, who laughed a great deal.

She laughed wildly, then weakly.