d for himself at the Grand Pacific, which was then the
exclusive hotel of Chicago, and this was his ostensible residence. His
luncheon and evening appointments were kept at the Union Club. An
early patron of the telephone, he had one installed in the apartment,
so that he could reach Jennie quickly and at any time. He was home two
or three nights a week, sometimes oftener. He insisted at first on
Jennie having a girl of general housework, but acquiesced in the more
sensible arrangement which she suggested later of letting some one
come in to do the cleaning. She liked to work around her own home. Her
natural industry and love of order prompted this feeling.

Lester liked his breakfast promptly at eight in the morning. He
wanted dinner served nicely at seven. Silverware, cut glass, imported
china--all the little luxuries of life appealed to him. He kept
his trunks and wardrobe at the apartment.

During the first few months everything went smoothly. He was in the
habit of taking Jennie to the theater now and then, and if he chanced
to run across an acquaintance he always introduced her as Miss
Gerhardt. When he registered her as his wife it was usually under an
assumed name; where there was no danger of detection he did not mind
using his own signature. Thus far there had been no difficulty or
unpleasantness of any kind.

The trouble with this situation was that it was criss-crossed with
the danger and consequent worry which the deception in regard to Vesta
had entailed, as well as with Jennie's natural anxiety about her
father and the disorganized home. Jennie feared, as Veronica hinted,
that she and William would go to live with Martha, who was installed
in a boarding-house in Cleveland, and that Gerhardt would be left
alone. He was such a pathetic figure to her, with his injured hands
and his one ability--that of being a watchman--that she was
hurt to think of his being left alone. Would he come to her? She knew
that he would not--feeling as he did at present. Would Lester
have him--she was not sure of that. If he came Vesta would have
to be accounted for. So she worried.

The situation in regard to Vesta was really complicated. Owing to
the feeling that she was doing her daughter a great injustice, Jennie
was particularly sensitive in regard to her, anxious to do a thousand
things to make up for the one great duty that she could not perform.
She daily paid a visit to the home of Mrs. Olsen, always taking with
her