er. He had Watson cable his
wife--there was nothing serious about it, but he was ill. A
trained nurse was in attendance and his valet stood guard at the door
to prevent annoyance of any kind. It was plain that Letty could not
reach Chicago under three weeks. He had the feeling that he would not
see her again.

Curiously enough, not only because he was in Chicago, but because
he had never been spiritually separated from Jennie, he was thinking
about her constantly at this time. He had intended to go out and see
her just as soon as he was through with his business engagements and
before he left the city. He had asked Watson how she was getting
along, and had been informed that everything was well with her. She
was living quietly and looking in good health, so Watson said. Lester
wished he could see her.

This thought grew as the days passed and he grew no better. He was
suffering from time to time with severe attacks of griping pains that
seemed to tie his viscera into knots, and left him very weak. Several
times the physician administered cocaine with a needle in order to
relieve him of useless pain.

After one of the severe attacks he called Watson to his side, told
him to send the nurse away, and then said: "Watson, I'd like to have
you do me a favor. Ask Mrs. Stover if she won't come here to see me.
You'd better go and get her. Just send the nurse and Kozo (the valet)
away for the afternoon, or while she's here. If she comes at any other
time I'd like to have her admitted."

Watson understood. He liked this expression of sentiment. He was
sorry for Jennie. He was sorry for Lester. He wondered what the world
would think if it could know of this bit of romance in connection with
so prominent a man. Lester was decent. He had made Watson prosperous.
The latter was only too glad to serve him in any way.

He called a carriage and rode out to Jennie's residence. He found
her watering some plants; her face expressed her surprise at his
unusual presence.

"I come on a rather troublesome errand, Mrs. Stover," he said,
using her assumed name. "Your--that is, Mr. Kane is quite sick at
the Auditorium. His wife is in Europe, and he wanted to know if I
wouldn't come out here and ask you to come and see him. He wanted me
to bring you, if possible. Could you come with me now?"

"Why yes," said Jennie, her face a study. The children were in
school. An old Swedish housekeeper was in the kitchen. She could go as
well as not. Bu