She began, perhaps, to have a certain glimmering as to the meaning of it all when, a few days later, she felt very hot, and languid, and heavy, when her throat ached, and her head ached, and although it was a warm summer's day, she was glad to lie with a shawl over her on the sofa. Then certain words of the doctor's, as he bent over her, penetrated her dull ears, and crept somehow down into her heart.
"There is no doubt whatever that she has taken the fever from Susy Aylmer. Well, all we have to do now is to pull her through as quickly as possible, and of course, Mrs. Grenville, as Ralph is still quite well, and as he was not exposed to anything like the same amount of infection as Maggie, you will send him away."
Mrs. Grenville responded in rather a choking voice, and she and the doctor left the room together.
A few moments later Mrs. Grenville came back and bent over the sick child.
"Is that you, Auntie Violet?" asked Maggie.
"Yes, my darling," responded her aunt.
"What's fever, auntie?"
"An illness, dear."
"And am I going to be very, very ill?"
"I hope not very ill, Maggie. We are going to nurse you so well that we trust that will not be the case; but I am afraid my poor little girl will not feel comfortable for some time."