dered
a responsible being. Zillah saw this, but felt no jealousy. She
humbly acquiesced in the doctor's decision; meekly felt that she had
none of the qualities of a nurse; and admired Hilda's genius for that
office with all her heart. Added to this conviction of her own
inability, there was the consciousness that she had brought all this
upon the Earl--a consciousness which brought on self-reproach and
perpetual remorse. The very affection which she felt for Lord
Chetwynde of itself incapacitated her. A good nurse should be cool.
Like a good doctor or a good surgeon, his affections should not be
too largely interested. It is a mistake to suppose that one's dear
friends make one's best nurses. They are very well to look at, but
not to administer medicine or smooth the pillow. Zillah's face of
agony was not so conducive to recovery as the calm smile of Hilda.
The Earl did not need kisses or hot tears upon his face. What he did
need was quiet, and a regular administration of medicines presented
by a cool, steady hand.

The Earl was very low. He was weak, yet conscious of all that was
going on. Zillah's heart was gladdened to hear once more words of
love from him. The temporary hardness of heart which had appalled her
had all passed away, and the old affection had returned. In a few
feeble words he begged her not to let Guy know that he was sick, for
he would soon recover, and it would only worry his son. Most of the
words which he spoke were about that son. Zillah would have given any
thing if she could have brought Guy to that bedside. But that was
impossible, and she could only wait and hope.

Weeks passed away, and in the interviews which she had with Hilda
Zillah gradually let her know all that had happened. She told her
about the discovery of the papers, and the effect which they had upon
the Earl. At last, one evening, she gave the papers to Hilda. It was
when Zillah came to sit up with the Earl. Hilda took the papers
solemnly, and said that she would look over them. She reproached
Zillah for not giving her her confidence before, and said that she
had a claim before any one, and if she had only told her all about it
at Pomeroy Court, this might not have happened. All this Zillah felt
keenly, and began to think that the grand mistake which she had made
was in not taking Hilda into her confidence at the very outset.

"I do not know what these papers may mean," said Hilda; "but I tell
you candidly that if they cont