suredly encountered--and that, too, _face
to face_!"

Gualtier looked at her in fresh perplexity. Not yet had he fathomed
the full depth of Hilda's deep design.

CHAPTER XXXIV.

REMODELING THE HOUSEHOLD.

Two or three days afterward, Hilda, attended by Gualtier, drove up to
the inn of the little village near Chetwynde Castle. Gualtier stopped
here, and Hilda drove on to the Castle itself. Her luggage was with
her, but it was small, consisting of only a small trunk, which looked
as though it were her intention to make but a short stay. On her
arrival the servants all greeted her respectfully, and asked eagerly
after Lady Chetwynde. Her ladyship, Hilda informed them, was still
too unwell to travel, but was much better than when she left. She had
sent her to make certain arrangements for the reception of Lord
Chetwynde, who was expected from India at no very distant date. She
did not as yet know the time of his probable arrival; but when she
had learned it she herself would come to Chetwynde Castle to receive
him; but until that time she would stay away. The place where she was
staying just at present was particularly healthy. It was a small
village on the coast of Brittany, and Lady Chetwynde was anxious to
defer her return to the latest possible moment. Such was the
information which Hilda condescended to give to the servants, who
received the news with unfeigned delight, for they all dearly loved
that gentle girl, whose presence at Chetwynde had formerly brightened
the whole house, and with whose deep grief over her last bereavement
they had all most sincerely sympathized.

Hilda had many things to do. Her first duty was to call on Mrs. Hart.
The poor old housekeeper still continued in a miserable condition,
hovering, apparently, between life and death, and only conscious at
intervals of what was going on around her. That consciousness was not
strong enough to make her miss the presence of Zillah, nor did her
faculties, even in her most lucid intervals, seem to be fully at
work. Her memory did not appear to suggest at any time those sad
events which had brought her down to this. It was only at times that
she exhibited any recollection of the past, and that was confined
altogether to "Guy;" to him whom in whispered words she called "her
boy." Mrs. Hart was not at all neglected. Susan, who had once been
the upper house-maid, had of late filled the place of housekeeper,
which she could easily do, as the fa