Lester smiled cheerily and went up to his mother’s room. In this, which was done in white and gold and overlooked the garden to the south and east, sat Mrs. Kane, a subdued, graceful, quiet woman, with smoothly laid gray hair. She looked up when the door opened, laid down the volume that she had been reading, and rose to greet him. “There you are, Mother,” he said, putting his arms around her and kissing her. “How are you?” “Oh, I’m just about the same, Lester. How have you been?” “Fine. I was up with the Bracebridges for a few days again. I had to stop off in Cleveland to see Parsons. They all asked after you.” “How is Minnie?” “Just the same. She doesn’t change any that I can see. She’s just as interested in entertaining as she ever was.” “She’s a bright girl,” remarked his mother, recalling Mrs. Bracebridge as a girl in Cincinnati. “I always liked her. She’s so sensible.” “She hasn’t lost any of that, I can tell you,” replied Lester significantly. Mrs. Kane smiled and went on to speak of various family happenings. Imogene’s husband was leaving for St. Louis on some errand. Robert’s wife was sick with a cold. Old Zwingle, the yard watchman at the factory, who had been with Mr. Kane for over forty years, had died. Her husband was going to the funeral. Lester listened dutifully, albeit a trifle absently. Lester, as he walked down the hall, encountered Louise. “Smart” was the word for her. She was dressed in a beaded black silk dress, fitting close to her form, with a burst of rubies at her throat which contrasted effectively with her dark complexion and black hair. Her eyes were black and piercing. “Oh, there you are, Lester,” she exclaimed. “When did you get in? Be careful how you kiss me. I’m going out, and I’m all fixed, even to the powder on my nose. Oh, you bear!” Lester had gripped her firmly and kissed her soundly. She pushed him away with her strong hands. “I didn’t brush much of it off,” he said. “You can always dust more on with that puff of yours.” He passed on to his own room to dress for dinner. Dressing for dinner was a custom that had been adopted by the Kane family in the last few years. Guests had become so common that in a way it was a necessity, and Louise, in particular, made a point of it. To-night Robert was coming, and a Mr. and Mrs. Burnett, old friends of his father and mother, and so, of course, the meal would be a formal one. Lester knew that his father was around somewhere, but he did not trouble to look him up now. He was thinking of his last two days in Cleveland and wondering when he would see Jennie again. CHAPTER XX As Lester came down-stairs after making his toilet he found his father in the library reading. “Hello, Lester,” he said, looking up from his paper over the top of his glasses and extending his hand. “Where do you come from?” “Cleveland,” replied his son, shaking hands heartily, and smiling. “Robert tells me you’ve been to New York.” “Yes, I was there.”