He was a good man, most delightful in everything, perhaps, save his
gift of love. He really did not love her--could not perhaps,
after all that had happened, even though she loved him most earnestly.
But his family had been most brutal in their opposition, and this had
affected his attitude. She could understand that, too. She could see
now how his big, strong brain might be working in a circle. He was too
decent to be absolutely brutal about this thing and leave her, too
really considerate to look sharply after his own interests as he
should, or hers--but he ought to.

"You must decide, Lester," she kept saying to him, from time to
time. "You must let me go. What difference does it make? I will be all
right. Maybe, when this thing is all over you might want to come back
to me. If you do, I will be there."

"I'm not ready to come to a decision," was his invariable reply. "I
don't know that I want to leave you. This money is important, of
course, but money isn't everything. I can live on ten thousand a year
if necessary. I've done it in the past."

"Oh, but you're so much more placed in the world now, Lester," she
argued. "You can't do it. Look how much it costs to run this house
alone. And a million and a half of dollars--why, I wouldn't let
you think of losing that. I'll go myself first."

"Where would you think of going if it came to that?" he asked
curiously.

"Oh, I'd find some place. Do you remember that little town of
Sandwood, this side of Kenosha? I have often thought it would be a
pleasant place to live."

"I don't like to think of this," he said finally in an outburst of
frankness. "It doesn't seem fair. The conditions have all been against
this union of ours. I suppose I should have married you in the first
place. I'm sorry now that I didn't."

Jennie choked in her throat, but said nothing.

"Anyhow, this won't be the last of it, if I can help it," he
concluded. He was thinking that the storm might blow over; once he had
the money, and then--but he hated compromises and
subterfuges.

It came by degrees to be understood that, toward the end of
February, she should look around at Sandwood and see what she could
find. She was to have ample means, he told her, everything that she
wanted. After a time he might come out and visit her occasionally. And
he was determined in his heart that he would make some people pay for
the trouble they had caused him. He decided to send for Mr. O'Brien
shortly and t