"Children," murmured Miss Davis, "what has happened to me? Give me your hands, Mark, and help me to rise."
They raised her up and laid her on the sofa.
"What was the matter?" repeated Miss Davis, seeing the tears flowing down Hetty's cheeks.
"Oh! two nasty old people came to see you and frightened you," said Mark, "and then they walked off, and Hetty and I found you on the floor."
Hetty gave Mark a reproachful look, coloured deeply, and hung her head. Mark cast a warning glance at her over Miss Davis's shoulder. He did not want to be discovered.
"Oh! I remember," moaned Miss Davis. "My poor mother!"
Mark could not bear the unhappy tone of her voice, and turned and fled out of the room.
"Don't believe any news those people brought you, Miss Davis," said Hetty. "I am sure they were impostors."
She was longing to say, "Mark and I played a trick for fun," but did not dare until she had first spoken to Mark.
"Why do you think so? Hetty, is it possible you are crying for me? I did not think you cared so much about me, my dear."