e were certain conditions stipulated which affect you and Mr.
Kane very materially. These provisions are so important that I think
you ought to know about them--that is if Mr. Kane hasn't already
told you. I--pardon me--but the peculiar nature of them
makes me conclude that--possibly--he hasn't." He paused, a
very question-mark of a man--every feature of his face an
interrogation.

"I don't quite understand," said Jennie. "I don't know anything
about the will. If there's anything that I ought to know, I suppose
Mr. Kane will tell me. He hasn't told me anything as yet."

"Ah!" breathed Mr. O'Brien, highly gratified. "Just as I thought.
Now, if you will allow me I'll go into the matter briefly. Then you
can judge for yourself whether you wish to hear the full particulars.
Won't you sit down?" They had both been standing. Jennie seated
herself, and Mr. O'Brien pulled up a chair near to hers.

"Now to begin," he said. "I need not say to you, of course, that
there was considerable opposition on the part of Mr. Kane's father, to
this--ah--union between yourself and his son."

"I know--" Jennie started to say, but checked herself. She was
puzzled, disturbed, and a little apprehensive.

"Before Mr. Kane senior died," he went on, "he indicated to
your--ah--to Mr. Lester Kane, that he felt this way. In his
will he made certain conditions governing the distribution of his
property which made it rather hard for his son,
your--ah--husband, to come into his rightful share.
Ordinarily, he would have inherited one-fourth of the Kane
Manufacturing Company, worth to-day in the neighborhood of a million
dollars, perhaps more; also one-fourth of the other properties, which
now aggregate something like five hundred thousand dollars. I believe
Mr. Kane senior was really very anxious that his son should inherit
this property. But owing to the conditions which
your--ah--which Mr. Kane's father made, Mr. Lester Kane
cannot possibly obtain his share, except by complying with
a--with a--certain wish which his father had expressed."

Mr. O'Brien paused, his eyes moving back and forth side wise in
their sockets. In spite of the natural prejudice of the situation, he
was considerably impressed with Jennie's pleasing appearance. He could
see quite plainly why Lester might cling to her in the face of all
opposition. He continued to study her furtively as he sat there
waiting for her to speak.

"And what was that wish?" she finally asked, her