flashing jewels?
What wonderful good fortune she was enjoying! And Lester had promised
that her mother would share in it. Tears sprang to her eyes at the
thought. The dear mother, how she loved her!

It was Lester's pleasure in these days to see what he could do to
make her look like some one truly worthy of im. He exercised his most
careful judgment, and the result surprised even himself. People turned
in the halls, in the dining-rooms, and on the street to gaze at
Jennie.

"A stunning woman that man has with him," was a frequent
comment.

Despite her altered state Jennie did not lose her judgment of life
or her sense of perspective or proportion. She felt as though life
were tentatively loaning her something which would be taken away after
a time. There was no pretty vanity in her bosom. Lester realized this
as he watched her. "You're a big woman, in your way," he said. "You'll
amount to something. Life hasn't given you much of a deal up to
now."

He wondered how he could justify this new relationship to his
family, should they chance to hear about it. If he should decide to
take a home in Chicago or St. Louis (there was such a thought running
in his mind) could he maintain it secretly? Did he want to? He was
half persuaded that he really, truly loved her.

As the time drew near for their return he began to counsel her as
to her future course of action. "You ought to find some way of
introducing me, as an acquaintance, to your father," he said. "It will
ease matters up. I think I'll call. Then if you tell him you're going
to marry me he'll think nothing of it." Jennie thought of Vesta, and
trembled inwardly. But perhaps her father could be induced to remain
silent.

Lester had made the wise suggestion that she should retain the
clothes she had worn in Cleveland in order that she might wear them
home when she reached there. "There won't be any trouble about this
other stuff," he said. "I'll have it cared for until we make some
other arrangement." It was all very simple and easy; he was a master
strategist.

Jennie had written her mother almost daily since she had been East.
She had inclosed little separate notes to be read by Mrs. Gerhardt
only. In one she explained Lester's desire to call, and urged her
mother to prepare the way by telling her father that she had met some
one who liked her. She spoke of the difficulty concerning Vesta, and
her mother at once began to plan a campaign o have Gerhardt hold his