country merchants could be more easily
reached and dealt with there. It would be a big advertisement for the
house, a magnificent evidence of its standing and prosperity. Kane
senior and Lester immediately approved of this. Both saw its
advantages. Robert suggested that Lester should undertake the
construction of the new buildings. It would probably be advisable for
him to reside in Chicago a part of the time.

The idea appealed to Lester, even though it took him away from
Cincinnati, largely if not entirely. It was dignified and not
unrepresentative of his standing in the company. He could live in
Chicago and he could have Jennie with him. The scheme he had for
taking an apartment could now be arranged without difficulty. He voted
yes. Robert smiled. "I'm sure we'll get good results from this all
around," he said.

As construction work was soon to begin, Lester decided to move to
Chicago immediately. He sent word for Jennie to meet him, and together
they selected an apartment on the North Side, a very comfortable suite
of rooms on a side street near the lake, and he had it fitted up to
suit his taste. He figured that living in Chicago he could pose as a
bachelor. He would never need to invite his friends to his rooms.
There were his offices, where he could always be found, his clubs and
the hotels. To his way of thinking the arrangement was practically
ideal.

Of course Jennie's departure from Cleveland brought the affairs of
the Gerhardt family to a climax. Probably the home would be broken up,
but Gerhardt himself took the matter philosophically. He was an old
man, and it did not matter much where he lived. Bass, Martha, and
George were already taking care of themselves. Veronica and William
were still in school, but some provision could be made for boarding
them with a neighbor. The one real concern of Jennie and Gerhardt was
Vesta. It was Gerhardt's natural thought that Jennie must take the
child with her. What else should a mother do?

"Have you told him yet?" he asked her, when the day of her
contemplated departure had been set.

"No; but I'm going to soon," she assured him.

"Always soon," he said.

He shook his head. His throat swelled.

"It's too bad," he went on. "It's a great sin. God will punish you,
I'm afraid. The child needs some one. I'm getting old--otherwise
I would keep her. There is no one here all day now to look after her
right, as she should be." Again he shook his head.

"I know," s