t is this? Is it possible, or do I dream?
Tell me, do you know that my husband loves this woman?"

The emotion with which Hilda spoke grew stronger. She rose to her
feet, and took a step nearer to Obed. She stood there with clasped
hands, her beautiful face turned toward him with deep entreaty.

Obed looked at her in a fresh bewilderment. He was silent for a long
time. At last he started to his feet.

"Well, marm," said he, as he clenched his fist, "I don't understand.
I can't explain. Every thing is a muddle. All I can say is
this--there's either treachery or insanity somewhere, and may I be
cut up into sausages and chawed up by Comanches if I'll stand this
any longer. Yes," he cried, "by the Lord! I'll have this cleared up
now, once and forever. I will, by the Eternal!"

He brought his huge fist down with a crash on the table, and left the
room.

Hilda sat waiting.

CHAPTER LXXVIII.

"THE WIFE OF LORD CHETWYNDE."

Hilda sat waiting.

Obed had gone in search of those who could face this woman and answer
her story. He went first to send word to Zillah, summoning her down.
Zillah had been feebly reclining on her couch, distracted by thoughts
at once perplexing and agonizing, filled with despair at the dark
calamity which had suddenly descended, with a black future arising
before her, when she and "Windham" were to be sundered forever. He
hated her. That was her chief thought; and Windham's love had gone
down in an instant before Guy's deadly abhorrence. A lighter distress
might have been borne by the assistance of pride; but this was too
overmastering, and pride stood powerless in the presence of a
breaking heart. In such a mood as this was she when the message was
brought to her which Obed had sent.

The wife of Lord Chetwynde was down stairs, and wished to see her!

_The wife of Lord Chetwynde!_

Those words stung her like serpents' fangs; a tumult of fierce rage
and jealousy at once arose within her; and at this new emotion her
sorrow left her, and the weakness arising from her crushed love. With
a start she rose to her feet, and hastily prepared to descend.

After summoning Zillah, Obed went in search of Lord Chetwynde. Some
time elapsed before he could find him. He had been wandering about
the grounds in a state bordering on distraction.

Meanwhile Hilda sat waiting.

Alone in the great room, where now the shadows were gathering, she
was left to her own dark reflections. The sufferings