t there was coming back to her in detail a dream she
had had several nights before. It had seemed to her that she was out
on a dark, mystic body of water over which was hanging something like
a fog, or a pall of smoke. She heard the water ripple, or stir
faintly, and then out of the surrounding darkness a boat appeared. It
was a little boat, oarless, or not visibly propelled, and in it were
her mother, and Vesta, and some one whom she could not make out. Her
mother's face was pale and sad, very much as she had often seen it in
life. She looked at Jennie solemnly, sympathetically, and then
suddenly Jennie realized that the third occupant of the boat was
Lester. He looked at her gloomily--an expression she had never
seen on his face before--and then her mother remarked, "Well, we
must go now." The boat began to move, a great sense of loss came over
her, and she cried, "Oh, don't leave me, mamma!"

But her mother only looked at her out of deep, sad, still eyes, and
the boat was gone.

She woke with a start, half fancying that Lester was beside her.
She stretched out her hand to touch his arm; then she drew herself up
in the dark and rubbed her eyes, realizing that she was alone. A great
sense of depression remained with her, and for two days it haunted
her. Then, when it seemed as if it were nothing, Mr. Watson appeared
with his ominous message.

She went to dress, and reappeared, looking as troubled as were her
thoughts. She was very pleasing in her appearance yet, a sweet, kindly
woman, well dressed and shapely. She had never been separated mentally
from Lester, just as he had never grown entirely away from her. She
was always with him in thought, just as in the years when they were
together. Her fondest memories were of the days when he first courted
her in Cleveland--the days when he had carried her off, much as
the cave-man seized his mate--by force. Now she longed to do what
she could for him. For this call was as much a testimony as a shock.
He loved her--he loved her, after all.

The carriage rolled briskly through the long streets into the smoky
down-town district. It arrived at the Auditorium, and Jennie was
escorted to Lester's room. Watson had been considerate. He had talked
little, leaving her to her thoughts. In this great hotel she felt
diffident after so long a period of complete retirement. As she
entered the room she looked at Lester with large, gray, sympathetic
eyes. He was lying propped up on two