Mrs. Kane suggested that Robert might go to Chicago and have a talk with Lester.
"He ought to see that this thing, if continued, is going to do him irreparable damage," said Mr. Kane.
"He cannot hope to carry it off successfully. Nobody can.
He ought to marry her or he ought to quit.
I want you to tell him that for me."
"All well and good," said Robert, "but who's going to convince him?
I'm sure I don't want the job."
"I hope to," said old Archibald, "eventually; but you'd better go up and try, anyhow.
It can't do any harm.
He might come to his senses."
"I don't believe it," replied Robert. "He's a strong man.
You see how much good talk does down here. Still, I'll go if it will relieve your feelings any.
Mother wants it."
"Yes, yes," said his father distractedly, "better go."
Accordingly Robert went.
Without allowing himself to anticipate any particular measure of success in this adventure, he rode pleasantly into Chicago confident in the reflection that he had all the powers of morality and justice on his side.
Upon Robert's arrival, the third morning after Louise's interview, he called up the warerooms, but Lester was not there.
He then telephoned to the house, and tactfully made an appointment.
Lester was still indisposed, but he preferred to come down to the office, and he did.
He met Robert in his cheerful, nonchalant way, and together they talked business for a time.
Then followed a pregnant silence.
"Well, I suppose you know what brought me up here," began Robert tentatively.
"I think I could make a guess at it," Lester replied.
"They were all very much worried over the fact that you were sick—mother particularly.
You're not in any danger of having a relapse, are you?"
"I think not."
"Louise said there was some sort of a peculiar menage she ran into up here.
You're not married, are you?"
"No."
"The young woman Louise saw is just—" Robert waved his hand expressively.
Lester nodded.
"I don't want to be inquisitive, Lester.
I didn't come up for that.
I'm simply here because the family felt that I ought to come.
Mother was so very much distressed that I couldn't do less than see you for her sake"—he paused, and Lester, touched by the fairness and respect of his attitude, felt that mere courtesy at least made some explanation due.
"I don't know that anything I can say will help matters much," he replied thoughtfully.
"There's really nothing to be said.
I have the woman and the family has its objections.
The chief difficulty about the thing seems to be the bad luck in being found out."
He stopped, and Robert turned over the substance of this worldly reasoning in his mind.
Lester was very calm about it.
He seemed, as usual, to be most convincingly sane.
"You're not contemplating marrying her, are you?" queried Robert hesitatingly.
"I hadn't come to that," answered Lester coolly.
They looked at each other quietly for a moment, and then Robert turned his glance to the distant scene of the city.
"It's useless to ask whether you are seriously in love with her, I suppose," ventured Robert.
"I don't know whether I'd be able to discuss that divine afflatus with you or not," returned Lester, with a touch of grim humor.
"I have never experienced the sensation myself.
All I know is that the lady is very pleasing to me."
"Well, it's all a question of your own well-being and the family's, Lester," went on Robert, after another pause.