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326 S.
tor's wife. I just can't stand sitting around alone, or with another doctor's wife. I guess I want my fun now and not later, like you said we would when you were established.
Ted, you'll always be high in my heart, but John has taken the top place. I hope you try to understand. Write and tell me you do, please.
Love, Penny."
Ted raised his head and glanced at a leather covered picture frame on his desk. Penny and Charlene stared back at him from the photograph. He looked closer at the picture. Penny was holding her right hand thumb and forefinger in a circle. He smiled. She had been convinced that a full moon was their lucky sign, and she always made the circle with her fingers when she was happy.
Ted reminisced. There had been a full moon the night they met; the night they got married and the night he started his own medical practice. Each sign had brought happiness. Now it looked like the full moons in the future would be meaningless symbols.
TED roused himself. He gathered up his stethoscope, shoved it in his suit pocket, then sheepishly took it out again. Penny always said his pockets bulged just like a kid's.
On the way to St. Luke's Hospital he thought about John.
One afternoon, a year ago, he had been called into consultation about a new clinic for St. Luke's. There had been a tall good looking guy in the group. Ted soon found he was the architect. In discussing the plans.
August, mi I
they discovered they were hungry. > Ted took John Russell home witb* him. J When John saw Penny he let out a ; ^ low whistle. Penny blushed. John said :
"Doc, youVe certainly done all ^ right by yourself both in the medical and marriage departments."
From that first day Penny had ^ liked John. He was a bachelor, free ] and easy, with a good sense of humor, i ] In the matter of romance, though, . John had failed. He couldn't interest '* . himself in a girl for more than three ^ months.
'Tt's the chase I like, Ted," John once said in confidence. "When it ' ceases to be a chase I want out."
There had been many evenings of j ■ fun for the three of them. Barbecue |5 parties on Sunday; horseback riding ( on Thursday. Ted hadn't always been • able to make it, but "a date's a date," . Penny always said, "and one of the l Clark family ought to make it." '
About two weeks ago the regular | dates had stopped. Ted wondered i and asked Penny about it. ] ■
"Oh, John has probably found a j new flame and doesn't have time f or ! j us fuddy-duddies."
The letter explained everything now. If Penny went to Reno the whole thing would be over quickly. j
In the hospital the receptionist wslS \ i waiting for him.
"Dr. Clark, Dr. Frome would like | to see you as soon as possible." j
"Right-ho," Ted acknowledged i somberly. j j
DR. FROME was staring into a^ microscope on the corner of his desk when Ted walked in. M,