alone. You argue with me as though I had some interest in it;
but what possible interest can it be to me?"

"Oh, well, dearest Hilda," said Zillah, instantly appeased; "I'm
always pettish; but you won't mind, will you? You never mind my
ways."

"I've a great mind to take you at your word," said Hilda, after a
thoughtful pause, "and write it for you. It ought to be answered, and
you won't; so why should I not do the part of a friend, and answer it
for you?"

Zillah started, and seemed just a little nettled.

"Oh, I don't care," she said, with assumed indifference. "If you
choose to take the trouble, why I am sure I ought to be under
obligations to you. At any rate, I shall be glad to get rid of it so
long as I have nothing to do with it. I suppose it must be done."

Hilda made some protestations of her devotion to Zillah, and some
further conversation followed, all of which resulted in this--that
_Hilda wrote the letter in Zillah's name_, and signed that name _in
her own hand_, and under Zillah's own eye, and with Zillah's
half-reluctant, half-pettish concurrence.

Out of this beginning there flowed results of an important character,
which were soon perceived even by Zillah, though she was forced to
keep her feelings to herself. Occasional notes came afterward from
time to time for Zillah, and were answered in the same way by Hilda.
All this Zillah endured quietly, but with real repugnance, which
increased until the change took place in her feelings which has been
mentioned at the beginning of this chapter, when she at length
determined to put an end to such an anomalous state of things and
assert herself. It was difficult to do so. She loved Hilda dearly,
and placed perfect confidence in her. She was too guileless to dream
of any sinister motive in her friend; and the only difficulty of
which she was conscious was the fear that Hilda might suspect the
change in her feelings toward Guy. The very idea of Hilda's finding
this out alarmed her sensitive pride, and made her defer for a long
time her intent. At length, however, she felt unable to do so any
longer, and determined to run the risk of disclosing the state of her
feelings.

So one day, after the receipt of a note to herself, a slight degree
more friendly than usual, she hinted to Hilda rather shyly that she
would like to answer it herself.

"Oh, I am so glad, darling!" cried Hilda, enthusiastically. "It will
be so much nicer for you to do it yourself. It