After a few moments he said, just touching Margaret's hair:
"I am sorry to say that this must come off."
"She would not care," said Laura. "A more unworldly girl never lived. I believe I was prouder of her than she was of herself."
"I will go to the city this afternoon," said the doctor, "and try to bring one or two of our most eminent men to spend the night; they ought to see our patient's condition at the extremes of the day. Mrs. Worcester, may I trouble you to adjust the thermometer under the arm, as you did yesterday?"
Laura arranged the instrument, and they watched the result in silence. Harry accompanied the doctor down-stairs.
"What was the temperature?" he asked.
"100½," was the reply.
"Do you consider that favorable?"
"Yes. I will see the young lady again to-night."
The tramp of four men entering her room together did not arouse Margaret. She lay in an attitude of great exhaustion as the three physicians, accompanied by Harry, came in, and was, evidently, unconscious of their presence.