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"I told him," the woman began once more.

"Suppose you wait in the other room," said the doctor. "Every
thing is all right now, and we'll be through in a few minutes. He
finished sewing the wound, bandaged the scalp, and helped the man
out of the chair.

"Come back tomorrow at four o'clock," he said.

"You didn't ask the name. Doc. Do you know then?"

"No, I don't know them, but they'll be back tomorrow."
After washing his hands he wrote something in a little black
book and said, "Let's go home and see if we can find something to eat.

When we reached the house, twelve-year-old Mary opened the door,
flung her arms ahout her father, and kissed him on the forehead. Still
wearing pigtails, she was growing up, tall and straight. She took our
hats.

"Where's Tommy?," Doc asked.

"He's asleep; it's far past his hedtime," replied Mrs. Clark,
coming from the dining room to greet us. "I didn't know we were going
to have company, but there's enough for you both. I'll make coffee
and you can have it with dessert."

Doc sighed as we sat down at the table. "This doctor's life
gets pretty humdrum," he said. "Deliveries, tonsillectomies, fractures,
lacerations ~ one bogs down. An appendectomy is a high-water mark for
a country doctor. Sixteen years I've put in on this field with no kale
to show for it, and not much science left. But when I came here, women
were faring little better than animals at childbirth. I feel better
ahout that.

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