rald leased in Chicago was a most imposing
one on Drexel Boulevard. "I'm going to take a house in your town this
winter, and I hope to see a lot of you," she wrote to Lester. "I'm
awfully bored with life here in Cincinnati. After Europe it's
so--well, you know. I saw Mrs. Knowles on Saturday. She asked
after you. You ought to know that you have a loving friend in her. Her
daughter is going to marry Jimmy Severance in the spring."

Lester thought of her coming with mingled feelings of pleasure and
uncertainty. She would be entertaining largely, of course. Would she
foolishly begin by attempting to invite him and Jennie? Surely not.
She must know the truth by this time. Her letter indicated as much.
She spoke of seeing a lot of him. That meant that Jennie would have to
be eliminated. He would have to make a clean breast of the whole
affair to Letty. Then she could do as she pleased about their future
intimacy. Seated in Letty's comfortable boudoir one afternoon, facing
a vision of loveliness in pale yellow, he decided that he might as
well have it out with her. She would understand. Just at this time he
was beginning to doubt the outcome of the real estate deal, and
consequently he was feeling a little blue, and, as a concomitant, a
little confidential. He could not as yet talk to Jennie about his
troubles.

"You know, Lester," said Letty, by way of helping him to his
confession--the maid had brought tea for her and some brandy and
soda for him, and departed--"that I have been hearing a lot of
things about you since I've been back in this country. Aren't you
going to tell me all about yourself? You know I have your real
interests at heart."

"What have you been hearing, Letty?" he asked, quietly.

"Oh, about your father's will for one thing, and the fact that
you're out of the company, and some gossip about Mrs. Kane which
doesn't interest me very much. You know what I mean. Aren't you going
to straighten things out, so that you can have what rightfully belongs
to you? It seems to me such a great sacrifice, Lester, unless, of
course, you are very much in love. Are you?" she asked archly.

Lester paused and deliberated before replying. "I really don't know
how to answer that last question, Letty," he said. "Sometimes I think
that I love her; sometimes I wonder whether I do or not. I'm going to
be perfectly frank with you. I was never in such a curious position in
my life before. You like me so much, and I--well, I do