But is it possible? Yes, that must be it. And if you did not write
that last letter, then _she_ wrote it."

"_She_! Who?"

"Hilda."

Hereupon ensued a long explanation, the end of which was that each
began to understand better the state of the case. And Lord Chetwynde
exulted at finding that all the baseness which he had imagined
against his wife was the work of another; and Zillah felt ecstasy in
the thought that Lord Chetwynde had never loathed her, and had never
carried in his despairing heart the image of that dreaded and hated
phantom, Inez Cameron.

"The fact is, I couldn't have written that letter for another reason,
little girl. I always made allowances even for those letters which
you did not write, and until that last one came I always laid great
stress on my father's love for you, and hoped some day to gain your
love."

"And that you would have done in the ordinary way if we had met in
Chetwynde Castle."

"Would I, indeed?"

"Yes," sighed Zillah; "for I think I learned to love you from your
letters to your father."

"Oh no! no, no," laughed Lord Chetwynde; "for did you not at once
fall in love with that Windham?"

So the time passed. But amidst these murmurs of affection, and these
explanations of vanished mysteries, Lord Chetwynde caught himself
looking to the past few months at Florence.

"Oh, those interviews!" he murmured, "those sweet, stolen
interviews!"

"Why, Sir," said Zillah, "you speak as though you feel sorry for all
this!"

"No, my darling. My fond recollection of these can not interfere with
my joy at the present; for the great meaning of this present is that
while we live we shall never part again."

***

Lord Chetwynde did not go back to Florence that night. There were a
thousand things to talk over. On the following day Obed explained all
about the cipher, and told many stories about his early association
with Neville Pomeroy. These things took up all the next day. Lord
Chetwynde was in no hurry now. His Indian appointment was quietly
given up. He had no immediate desire to go to his lodgings, and Obed
insisted that Lord and Lady Chetwynde should be his guests during
their stay in Florence.

To this, Lord and Lady Chetwynde agreed, and enforced a promise from
Obed Chute that he would be their guest in Chetwynde Castle.

Sometimes their thoughts turned on Hilda. They had no desire to
pursue her. To Zillah she was an old friend; and her treason was not
a thing which