der consideration, I'm thinking
something of handling an independent concern."

"Surely you won't run counter to your brother? He has a pretty good
thing in that combination of his."

"Combination! I hadn't heard of it," said Lester. "I've just got
back from Europe."

"Well, you want to wake up, Lester," replied Bracebridge. "He's got
the biggest thing in your line. I thought you knew all about it. The
Lyman-Winthrop Company, the Myer-Brooks Company, the Woods
Company--in fact, five or six of the big companies are all in.
Your brother was elected president of the new concern. I dare say he
cleaned up a couple of millions out of the deal."

Lester stared. His glance hardened a little.

"Well, that's fine for Robert. I'm glad of it."

Bracebridge could see that he had given him a vital stab.

"Well, so long, old man," he exclaimed. "When you're in Cleveland
look us up. You know how fond my wife is of you."

"I know," replied Lester. "By-by."

He strolled away to the smoking-room, but the news took all the
zest out of his private venture. Where would he be with a shabby
little wagon company and his brother president of a carriage trust?
Good heavens! Robert could put him out of business in a year. Why, he
himself had dreamed of such a combination as this. Now his brother had
done it.

It is one thing to have youth, courage, and a fighting spirit to
meet the blows with which fortune often afflicts the talented. It is
quite another to see middle age coming on, your principal fortune
possibly gone, and avenue after avenue of opportunity being sealed to
you on various sides. Jennie's obvious social insufficiency, the
quality of newspaper reputation which had now become attached to her,
his father's opposition and death, the loss of his fortune, the loss
of his connection with the company, his brother's attitude, this
trust, all combined in a way to dishearten and discourage him. He
tried to keep a brave face--and he had succeeded thus far, he
thought, admirably, but this last blow appeared for the time being a
little too much. He went home, the same evening that he heard the
news, sorely disheartened. Jennie saw it. She realized it, as a matter
of fact, all during the evening that he was away. She felt blue and
despondent herself. When he came home she saw what it
was--something had happened to him. Her first impulse was to say,
"What is the matter, Lester?" but her next and sounder one was to
ignore it until he