“I understand, Lester,” she answered. “I’m not complaining. I know it’s for the best.” “After all, life is more or less of a farce,” he went on a little bitterly. “It’s a silly show. The best we can do is to hold our personality intact. It doesn’t appear that integrity has much to do with it.” Jennie did not quite grasp what he was talking about, but she knew it meant that he was not entirely satisfied with himself and was sorry for her. “Don’t worry over me, Lester,” she consoled. “I’m all right; I’ll get along. It did seem terrible to me for a while—getting used to being alone. I’ll be all right now. I’ll get along.” “I want you to feel that my attitude hasn’t changed,” he continued eagerly. “I’m interested in what concerns you. Mrs.—Letty understands that. She knows just how I feel. When you get settled I’ll come in and see how you’re fixed. I’ll come around here again in a few days. You understand how I feel, don’t you?” “Yes, I do,” she said. He took her hand, turning it sympathetically in his own. “Don’t worry,” he said. “I don’t want you to do that. I’ll do the best I can. You’re still Jennie to me, if you don’t mind. I’m pretty bad, but I’m not all bad.” “It’s all right, Lester. I wanted you to do as you did. It’s for the best. You probably are happy since—” “Now, Jennie,” he interrupted; then he pressed affectionately her hand, her arm, her shoulder. “Want to kiss me for old times’ sake?” he smiled. She put her hands over his shoulders, looked long into his eyes, then kissed him. When their lips met she trembled. Lester also felt unsteady. Jennie saw his agitation, and tried hard to speak. “You’d better go now,” she said firmly. “It’s getting dark.” He went away, and yet he knew that he wanted above all things to remain; she was still the one woman in the world for him. And Jennie felt comforted even though the separation still existed in all its finality. She did not endeavor to explain or adjust the moral and ethical entanglements of the situation. She was not, like so many, endeavoring to put the ocean into a tea-cup, or to tie up the shifting universe in a mess of strings called law. Lester still cared for her a little. He cared for Letty too. That was all right. She had hoped once that he might want her only. Since he did not, was his affection worth nothing? She could not think, she could not feel that. And neither could he. CHAPTER LX