was a peculiar
uneven motion to the movement of her lips--a rippling tremor
which was unmistakable to him.

"I think I know better than that," he said, still gazing at her
steadily. "What's the trouble? Anything happened?"

She turned away from him a moment to get her breath and collect her
senses. Then she faced him again. "There is something," she managed to
say. "I have to tell you something."

"I know you have," he agreed, half smiling, but with a feeling that
there was much of grave import back of this. "What is it?"

She was silent for a moment, biting her lips. She did not quite
know how to begin. Finally she broke the spell with: "There was a man
here yesterday--a Mr. O'Brien, of Cincinnati. Do you know
him?"

"Yes, I know him. What did he want?"

"He came to talk to me about you and your father's will."

She paused, for his face clouded immediately. "Why the devil should
he be talking to you about my father's will!" he exclaimed. "What did
he have to say?"

"Please don't get angry, Lester," said Jennie calmly, for she
realized that she must remain absolute mistress of herself if anything
were to be accomplished toward the resolution of her problem. "He
wanted to tell me what a sacrifice you are making," she went on. "He
wished to show me that there was only a little time left before you
would lose your inheritance. Don't you want to act pretty soon? Don't
you want to leave me."

"Damn him!" said Lester fiercely. "What the devil does he mean by
putting his nose in my private affairs? Can't they let me alone?" He
shook himself angrily. "Damn them!" he exclaimed again. "This is some
of Robert's work. Why should Knight, Keatley & O'Brien be meddling
in my affairs? This whole business is getting to be a nuisance!" He
was in a boiling rage in a moment, as was shown by his darkening skin
and sulphurous eyes.

Jennie trembled before his anger. She did not know what to say.

He came to himself sufficiently after a time to add:

"Well. Just what did he tell you?"

"He said that if you married me you would only get ten thousand a
year. That if you didn't and still lived with me you would get nothing
at all. If you would leave me, or I would leave you, you would get all
of a million and a half. Don't you think you had better leave me
now?"

She had not intended to propound this leading question so quickly,
but it came out as a natural climax to the situation. She realized
instantly that if he were reall