s Hilda took her departure from Chetwynde
Castle, leaving Gualtier in charge. In a few days the new servants
arrived, and those of the old ones who had thus far remained now took
their departure. The household was entirely remodeled. The new ones
took up their places; and there was not one single person there who
knew any thing whatever about the late Earl, or Hilda, or Gualtier.
The old ones were scattered abroad, and it was not within the bounds
of ordinary possibility that any of them would ever come near the
place.

In thus remodeling the household it was somewhat enlarged. There was
the new housekeeper, a staid, matronly, respectable-looking woman;
three house-maids, who had formerly lived, in the north of England; a
coachman, who had never before been out of Kent; a butler, who had
formerly served in a Scotch family; two footmen, one of whom had
served in Yorkshire, and the other in Cornwall; two grooms, who had
been bred in Yorkshire; a cook, who had hitherto passed all her life
in London; and three kitchen-maids, who also had served in that city.
Thus the household was altogether new, and had been carefully
collected by Gualtier with a view rather to the place from which they
had come than to any great excellence on the part of any of them. For
so large a place it was but a small number, but it was larger than
the household which had been dismissed, and they soon settled down
into their places.

One only was left of the old number. This was Mrs. Hart. But she lay
on her sick-bed, and Hilda looked upon her as one whose life was
doomed. Had any thought of her possible recovery entered her mind,
she would have contrived in some way to get rid of her. In spite of
her illness, she did not lack attention; for the new housekeeper
attached herself to her, and gave her the kindliest care and warmest
sympathy.

Last of all, so complete had been Hilda's precautions in view of
possible future difficulties, that when Gualtier came as the new
steward, he came under a new name, and was known to the household as
_Mr. M'Kenzie_.

CHAPTER XXXV.

THE LADY OF THE CASTLE.

The new household had been led to expect the arrival of Lady
Chetwynde at any moment. They understood that the old household had
not given satisfaction, that after the death of the late Earl Lady
Chetwynde had gone away to recruit her health, and, now that she was
better, she had determined to make a complete change. When she
herself arrived ot