long, approached the place
on this side of the valley, and the mountains were not more than half
a mile distant, though on the other the plain was several miles in
width. The place which Gualtier had chosen seemed to him to be quite
near enough to the villa for observation, and far enough distant for
safety. The thought of a possible encounter with Obed Chute was ever
present in his mind, and this time he determined to guard against all
surprise, and, if an encounter should be inevitable, to use his
revolver before his enemy could prevent him. His pride and his
manhood both urged him to gain some satisfaction for that shame on
both which he had experienced.

After watching one afternoon he obtained lodging at a humble
farm-house, and when the next morning came he rose refreshed by
sleep, and encouraged by the result of his meditations. He began to
be hopeful about final success. The scheme which Hilda had formed
seemed to be one which could not fail by any possibility. Whatever
Hilda's own purposes might be, to him they meant one thing plainly,
and that was a complete and irreparable breach between herself and
Lord Chetwynde. To him this was the first desire of his heart, since
that removed the one great obstacle that lay between him and her. If
he could only see her love for Lord Chetwynde transformed to
vengeance, and find them changed from their present attitude of
friendship to one of open and implacable enmity, then his own hopes
and prospects would be secured, as he thought. Already he saw the
beginning of this. In Hilda's manner, in her tone, in her looks, he
marked the fierce anger and vengeful feeling which had now taken
possession of her. He had witnessed also a greater consideration for
himself, arising this time not out of coercion, but from free-will.
All this was in his favor. Whether she could ever fully succeed in
her thirst for vengeance did not much matter. Indeed, it was better
for him that the desire should not be carried out, but that she
should remain unsatisfied, for then Lord Chetwynde would only become
all the more hateful to her every day, and that hate would serve to
give to him fresh opportunities of binding her to himself.

All these thoughts encouraged him. A hope began to rise within his
heart brighter than any which he had ever dared to entertain before.
He found himself now so completely identified with Hilda's dearest
plans and purposes, and so much deeper an understanding between the