Chapter Chapter 44 · This attempt at coercion was the one thing which would definitely

set Lester in opposition to his family, at least for the time being.

He had realized clearly enough of late that he had made a big mistake;

first in not having married Jennie, thus avoiding scandal; and in the

second place in not having accepted her proposition at the time when

she wanted to leave him; There were no two ways about it, he had made

a mess of this business. He could not afford to lose his fortune

entirely. He did not have enough money of his own. Jennie was unhappy,

he could see that. Why shouldn't she be? He was unhappy. Did he want

to accept the shabby ten thousand a year, even if he were willing to

marry her? Finally, did he want to lose Jennie, to have her go out of

his life once and for all? He could not make up his mind; the problem

was too complicated.

When Lester returned to his home, after the funeral, Jennie saw at

once that something was amiss with him, something beyond a son's

natural grief for his father's death was weighing upon his spirits.

What was it, she wondered. She tried to draw near to him

sympathetically, but his wounded spirit could not be healed so easily.

When hurt in his pride he was savage and sullen--he could have

struck any man who irritated him. She watched him interestedly,

wishing to do something for him, but he would not give her his

confidence. He grieved, and she could only grieve with him.

Days passed, and now the financial situation which had been created

by his father's death came up for careful consideration. The factory

management had to be reorganized. Robert would have to be made

president, as his father wished. Lester's own relationship to the

business would have to come up for adjudication. Unless he changed his

mind about Jennie, he was not a stockholder. As a matter of fact, he

was not anything. To continue to be secretary and treasurer, it was

necessary that he should own at least one share of the company's

stock. Would Robert give him any? Would Amy, Louise, or Imogene? Would

they sell him any? Would the other members of the family care to do

anything which would infringe on Robert's prerogatives under the will?

They were all rather unfriendly to Lester at present, and he realized

that he was facing a ticklish situation. The solution was--to get

rid of Jennie. If he did that he would not need to be begging for

stock. If he didn't, he was flying in the face of his father's last

will and testament. He turned the matter over in his mind slowly and

deliberately. He could quite see how things were coming out. He must

abandon either Jennie or his prospects in life. What a dilemma!

Despite Robert's assertion, that so far as he was concerned another

arrangement would have been satisfactory, he was really very well

pleased with the situation; his dreams were slowly nearing completion.

Robert had long had his plans perfected, not only for a thorough

reorganization of the company proper, but for an extension of the

business in the direction of a combination of carriage companies. If

he could get two or three of the larger organizations in the East and

West to join with him, selling costs could be reduced, over-production

would be avoided, and the general expenses could be materially scaled

down. Through a New York representative, he had been picking up stock

in outside carriage companies for some time and he was almost ready to

act. In the first place he would have himself elected president of the

Kane Company, and since Lester was no longer a factor, he could select

Amy's husband as vice-president, and possibly some one other than

Lester as secretary and treasurer. Under the conditions of the will,

the stock and other properties set aside temporarily for Lester, in

the hope that he would come to his senses, were to be managed and

voted by Robert. His father had meant, obviously, that he, Robert,

should help him coerce his brother. He did not want to appear mean,

but this was such an easy way. It gave him a righteous duty to

perform. Lester must come to his senses or he must let Robert run the

business to suit himself.

Lester, attending to his branch duties in Chicago, foresaw the

drift of things. He realized now that he was permanently out of the

company, a branch manager at his brother's sufferance, and the thought

irritated him greatly. Nothing had been said by Robert to indicate

that such a change had taken place--things went on very much as

before--but Robert's suggestions were now obviously law. Lester

was really his brother's employee at so much a year. It sickened his

soul.

There came a time, after a few weeks, when he felt as if he could

not stand this any longer. Hitherto he had been a free and independent

agent. The approaching annual stockholder's meeting which hitherto had

been a one-man affair and a formality, his father doing all the

voting, would be now a combination of voters, his brother presiding,

his sisters very likely represented by their husbands, and he not

there at all. It was going to be a great come-down, but as Robert had

not said anything about offering to give or sell him any stock which

would entitle him to sit as a director or hold any official position

in the company, he decided to write and resign. That would bring

matters to a crisis. It would show his brother that he felt no desire

to be under obligations to him in any way or to retain anything which

was not his--and gladly so--by right of ability and the

desire of those with whom he was associated. If he wanted to move back

into the company by deserting Jennie he would come in a very different

capacity from that of branch manager. He dictated a simple,

straight-forward business letter, saying:

"DEAR ROBERT, I know the time is drawing near when the company

must be reorganized under your direction. Not having any stock, I am

not entitled to sit as a director, or to hold the joint position of

secretary and treasurer. I want you to accept this letter as formal

notice of my resignation from both positions, and I want to have your

directors consider what disposition should be made of this position

and my services. I am not anxious to retain the branch-managership as

a branch-managership merely; at the same time I do not want to do

anything which will embarrass you in your plans for the future. You

see by this that I am not ready to accept the proposition laid down in

father's will--at least, not at present. I would like a definite

understanding of how you feel in this matter. Will you write and let

me know?

"Yours,

"LESTER."

Robert, sitting in his office at Cincinnati, considered this letter

gravely. It was like his brother to come down to "brass tacks." If

Lester were only as cautious as he was straightforward and direct,

what a man he would be! But there was no guile in the man--no

subtlety. He would never do a snaky thing--and Robert knew, in

his own soul, that to succeed greatly one must. "You have to be

ruthless at times--you have to be subtle," Robert would say to

himself. "Why not face the facts to yourself when you are playing for

big stakes?" He would, for one, and he did.

Robert felt that although Lester was a tremendously decent fellow

and his brother, he wasn't pliable enough to suit his needs. He was

too outspoken, too inclined to take issue. If Lester yielded to his

father's wishes, and took possession of his share of the estate, he

would become, necessarily, an active partner in the affairs of the

company. Lester would be a barrier in Robert's path. Did Robert want

this? Decidedly he did not. He much preferred that Lester should hold

fast to Jennie, for the present at least, and so be quietly shelved by

his own act.

After long consideration, Robert dictated a politic letter. He

hadn't made up his mind yet just what he wanted to do. He did not know

what his sisters' husbands would like. A consultation would have to be

held. For his part, he would be very glad to have Lester remain as

secretary and treasurer, if it could be arranged. Perhaps it would be

better to let the matter rest for the present.

Lester cursed. What did Robert mean by beating around the bush? He

knew well enough how it could be arranged. One share of stock would be

enough for Lester to qualify. Robert was afraid of him--that was

the basic fact. Well, he would not retain any branch-managership,

depend on that. He would resign at once. Lester accordingly wrote

back, saying that he had considered all sides, and had decided to look

after some interests of his own, for the time being. If Robert could

arrange it, he would like to have some one come on to Chicago and take

over the branch agency. Thirty days would be time enough. In a few

days came a regretful reply, saying that Robert was awfully sorry, but

that if Lester was determined he did not want to interfere with any

plans he might have in view. Imogene's husband, Jefferson Midgely, had

long thought he would like to reside in Chicago. He could undertake

the work for the time being.

Lester smiled. Evidently Robert was making the best of a very

subtle situation. Robert knew that he, Lester, could sue and tie

things up, and also that he would be very loath to do so. The

newspapers would get hold of the whole story. This matter of his

relationship to Jennie was in the air, anyhow. He could best solve the

problem by leaving her. So it all came back to that.