at he would ever have had the
opportunity to straighten things out, although he still felt that
Archibald would have liked her.

When he reached Cincinnati it was snowing, a windy, blustery snow.
The flakes were coming down thick and fast. The traffic of the city
had a muffled sound. When he stepped down from the train he was met by
Amy, who was glad to see him in spite of all their past differences.
Of all the girls she was the most tolerant. Lester put his arms about
her, and kissed her.

"It seems like old times to see you, Amy," he said, "your coming to
meet me this way. How's the family? I suppose they're all here. Well,
poor father, his time had to come. Still, he lived to see everything
that he wanted to see. I guess he was pretty well satisfied with the
outcome of his efforts."

"Yes," replied Amy, "and since mother died he was very lonely."

They rode up to the house in kindly good feeling, chatting of old
times and places. All the members of the immediate family, and the
various relatives, were gathered in the old family mansion. Lester
exchanged the customary condolences with the others, realizing all the
while that his father had lived long enough. He had had a successful
life, and had fallen like a ripe apple from the tree. Lester looked at
him where he lay in the great parlor, in his black coffin, and a
feeling of the old-time affection swept over him. He smiled at the
clean-cut, determined, conscientious face.

"The old gentleman was a big man all the way through," he said to
Robert, who was present. "We won't find a better figure of a man
soon."

"We will not," said his brother, solemnly.

After the funeral it was decided to read the will at once. Louise's
husband was anxious to return to Buffalo; Lester was compelled to be
in Chicago. A conference of the various members of the family was
called for the second day after the funeral, to be held at the offices
of Messrs. Knight, Keatley & O'Brien, counselors of the late
manufacturer.

As Lester rode to the meeting he had the feeling that his father
had not acted in any way prejudicial to his interests. It had not been
so very long since they had had their last conversation; he had been
taking his time to think about things, and his father had given him
time. He always felt that he had stood well with the old gentleman,
except for his alliance with Jennie. His business judgment had been
valuable to the company. Why should there be any discriminat