My husband is not much for social gatherings.
But we enjoy our neighborhood friends."
Jennie smiled her assurances of good-will.
She accompanied Mrs. Stendahl to the door, and shook hands with her.
"I'm so glad to find you so charming," observed Mrs. Stendahl frankly.
"Oh, thank you," said Jennie flushing a little.
"I'm sure I don't deserve so much praise."
"Well, now I will expect you some afternoon.
Good-by," and she waved a gracious farewell.
"That wasn't so bad," thought Jennie as she watched Mrs. Stendahl drive away.
"She is very nice, I think.
I'll tell Lester about her."
Among the other callers were a Mr. and Mrs. Carmichael Burke, a Mrs. Hanson Field, and a Mrs. Timothy Ballinger—all of whom left cards, or stayed to chat a few minutes. Jennie found herself taken quite seriously as a woman of importance, and she did her best to support the dignity of her position.
And, indeed, she did exceptionally well.
She was most hospitable and gracious. She had a kindly smile and a manner wholly natural; she succeeded in making a most favorable impression.
She explained to her guests that she had been living on the North Side until recently, that her husband, Mr. Kane, had long wanted to have a home in Hyde Park, that her father and daughter were living here, and that Lester was the child's stepfather.
She said she hoped to repay all these nice attentions and to be a good neighbor.
Lester heard about these calls in the evening, for he did not care to meet these people.
Jennie came to enjoy it in a mild way.
She liked making new friends, and she was hoping that something definite could be worked out here which would make Lester look upon her as a good wife and an ideal companion.
Perhaps, some day, he might really want to marry her.
First impressions are not always permanent, as Jennie was soon to discover.
The neighborhood had accepted her perhaps a little too hastily, and now rumors began to fly about.
A Mrs. Sommerville, calling on Mrs. Craig, one of Jennie's near neighbors, intimated that she knew who Lester was—"oh, yes, indeed.
You know, my dear," she went on, "his reputation is just a little—" she raised her eyebrows and her hand at the same time.
"You don't say!" commented her friend curiously.
"He looks like such a staid, conservative person."
"Oh, no doubt, in a way, he is," went on Mrs. Sommerville.
"His family is of the very best.
There was some young woman he went with—so my husband tells me.
I don't know whether this is the one or not, but she was introduced as a Miss Gorwood, or some such name as that, when they were living together as husband and wife on the North Side."
"Tst! Tst! Tst!" clicked Mrs. Craig with her tongue at this astonishing news. "You don't tell me!
Come to think of it, it must be the same woman.
Her father's name is Gerhardt."
"Gerhardt!" exclaimed Mrs. Sommerville.
"Yes, that's the name.
It seems to me that there was some earlier scandal in connection with her—at least there was a child.
Whether he married her afterward or not, I don't know.
Anyhow, I understand his family will not have anything to do with her."
"How very interesting!" exclaimed Mrs. Craig.
"And to think he should have married her afterward, if he really did.
I'm sure you can't tell with whom you're coming in contact these days, can you?"
"It's so true.
Life does get badly mixed at times.
She appears to be a charming woman."
"Delightful!" exclaimed Mrs. Craig.
"Quite naive.
I was really taken with her."
"Well, it may be," went on her guest, "that this isn't the same woman after all.
I may be mistaken."