ade
a mess of this business. He could not afford to lose his fortune
entirely. He did not have enough money of his own. Jennie was unhappy,
he could see that. Why shouldn't she be? He was unhappy. Did he want
to accept the shabby ten thousand a year, even if he were willing to
marry her? Finally, did he want to lose Jennie, to have her go out of
his life once and for all? He could not make up his mind; the problem
was too complicated.

When Lester returned to his home, after the funeral, Jennie saw at
once that something was amiss with him, something beyond a son's
natural grief for his father's death was weighing upon his spirits.
What was it, she wondered. She tried to draw near to him
sympathetically, but his wounded spirit could not be healed so easily.
When hurt in his pride he was savage and sullen--he could have
struck any man who irritated him. She watched him interestedly,
wishing to do something for him, but he would not give her his
confidence. He grieved, and she could only grieve with him.

Days passed, and now the financial situation which had been created
by his father's death came up for careful consideration. The factory
management had to be reorganized. Robert would have to be made
president, as his father wished. Lester's own relationship to the
business would have to come up for adjudication. Unless he changed his
mind about Jennie, he was not a stockholder. As a matter of fact, he
was not anything. To continue to be secretary and treasurer, it was
necessary that he should own at least one share of the company's
stock. Would Robert give him any? Would Amy, Louise, or Imogene? Would
they sell him any? Would the other members of the family care to do
anything which would infringe on Robert's prerogatives under the will?
They were all rather unfriendly to Lester at present, and he realized
that he was facing a ticklish situation. The solution was--to get
rid of Jennie. If he did that he would not need to be begging for
stock. If he didn't, he was flying in the face of his father's last
will and testament. He turned the matter over in his mind slowly and
deliberately. He could quite see how things were coming out. He must
abandon either Jennie or his prospects in life. What a dilemma!

Despite Robert's assertion, that so far as he was concerned another
arrangement would have been satisfactory, he was really very well
pleased with the situation; his dreams were slowly nearing completion.
Robert had lo