means to adequately compensate you and Mary for the joy and comfort
you have given me at so great a cost to yourselves. By dying, I may be
able to make your load lighter, so I am going to die as quickly as the
doctor will allow me to do so."

He died at nine o'clock that night. The next day Mr. Bingle notified
his three children that he was taking their father to Syracuse for
burial, and that if they chose to do so they could come to the
apartment late that afternoon for the brief funeral service. Geoffrey,
speaking for his sisters as well as for himself, expressed regret that
poor Tom had been saddled with certain annoyances and inconvenience in
connection with the late Joseph Hooper, and that they, as a family,
would be pleased to assume the cost of his funeral, provided Tom would
present an itemized statement on his return from Syracuse, covering
all legitimate expenses not only in connection with the funeral but
also anything that may have arisen during his most recent illness.

And Mr. Bingle, without consulting his wife, informed Geoffrey that he
was quite able to meet all of the expenses without aid from "the
family" and that he preferred to have nothing more said about the
matter. Whereupon Geoffrey told him to go ahead and do as he pleased
about it, and hung up the telephone receiver.

Greatly to the amazement and relief of the Bingles, Dr. Fiddler
insisted on paying all of the funeral expenses, including the railroad
fare of the two mourners to and from Syracuse. Moreover, he calmly
announced that he would not accept a penny from Mr. Bingle for
services rendered the sick man.

"Mary," said Mr. Bingle, on the way back to New York after the