"This is not much of one, I think, but it is somebody else's affair, and I will not tell it." Having wrung so much as this from Hetty, Nell grew wildly excited over the matter, and was so annoyed at not having her curiosity gratified that she went away out of the room in a hurry without having seen whether Hetty was warm enough or not.

On her return to the school-room she announced that Hetty could not tell anything about how she had passed the afternoon, because it was somebody else's secret.
"Perhaps she has been bringing some village girl or boy into the grounds," said Phyllis quietly.
"I will talk to her myself about this," said Miss Davis; "pray attend to your studies." Miss Davis on reflection thought Phyllis might be right, and that having made acquaintance with some young companion in Mrs.Kane's cottage, Hetty might have been induced to admit her or him to the grounds so as to give pleasure.

She knew how strongly the child was influenced by her likings and lovings, and feared that this might be the case of Scamp over again, with the important difference that Hetty was now a girl in her twelfth year, and that her new favourite might prove to be a human being instead of a dog.
The next day Hetty was seriously ill.

She had caught a severe cold and lay tossing feverishly in her bed.

Miss Davis came up to see her in the afternoon and sat at her bedside for half an hour.
"Hetty," she said, "I fear you must have been very foolish yesterday, and that your cold is the consequence.