hat she needed a change of air, and where she
could be kept out of doors. He said there was no immediate danger,"
she went on steadily, "because the child's lungs are still untouched."

"Does Margaret know?" he asked between his teeth. Sperry and Margaret
were the two poles of a battery to Thayor.

"Does she know? Of course not! Do you consider Dr. Sperry a fool?"

"Do I think him a fool? Yes, and sometimes I think he's worse," and
he looked at her meaningly. "I'll see Leveridge at once--now--before
I change my clothes. He's seen Margaret almost every day since she
was born and this silk-stocking exquisite of yours hasn't seen her ten
times in his life!" And he strode from the room.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Thayor's interview with Alice only made him more determined than
ever to carry out his plans at Big Shanty. If he had hesitated at the
danger to Margaret, he got over it when Leveridge said, with marked
professional courtesy:

"I should not have diagnosed her case as seriously; I should not worry
in the least," adding confidentially--"I should be very much surprised
if Dr. Sperry were right. However, I'll keep an eye on Margaret, and
if I see things going the wrong way I might advise Lakewood in the
spring. To send that child to as severe a climate as the woods in
winter, would, in my opinion, be the worst thing in the world for her,
Sam."

Thayor had repeated Leveridge's words to Alice, and she had replied:

"Well, if you are fool enough to believe in Leveridge I wash my hands
of the whole affair."

Margaret, as Thayor had expected, was radiantly happy over the idea of
the camp. She and her father talked of nothing else, Margaret taking
an absorbed interest in every detail concerning the new home. Every
letter from Holcomb was eagerly scanned by her. She even treasured in
her bureau drawer a duplicate set of the plans, as well as memoranda
of the progress of the work, and so knew everything that the young
woodsman was doing. Furthermore, the frank simplicity of his letters
to her father appealed to her--showing, as they did, a manliness
sadly lacking in the fashionable young men about her. Thus it was not
strange that she began to take a personal interest in Holcomb himself,
whom she dimly remembered at Long Lake. With this there developed in
her mind a certain feeling of respect and admiration for the young
superintendent, due more to her democratic spirit than to anything
personal about the man. Then, ag