At last I
felt he was not believing the doctrines he preached and I caught
him trying to get news of you and your boy, just because you were
out of reach, and neglecting my boy and me, who had given up
everything to wander with him and live on whatever the brethren
and sisters chose to give us.'
"'So there was a child, a boy,' I gasped. 'Did--did he live?'
'He's in the next room,' she answered, 'and it's him I brought
you here for. Aaron Boynton has served us both the same. He left
you for me and me for Heaven knows who. If I could live I
wouldn't ask any favors, of you least of all, but I haven't a
penny in the world, though I shan't need one very long. My friend
that's nursing me hasn't a roof to her head and she wouldn't
share it with the boy if she had--she's a bigoted Orthodox.'
"'But what do you expect me to do?' I asked angrily, for she was
stabbing me with every word.
"'The boy is your husband's child and he always represented you
as a saint upon earth. I expect you to take him home and provide
for him. He doesn't mean very much to me--just enough so that I
don't relish his going to the poorhouse, that's all.'
"'He'll go to something very like that if he comes to mine,' I
said.
"'Don't worry me with talk, for I can't stand it,' she wailed,
clutching at her nightgown and flinging back her hair.
Pages:
290
291
292
293
294
295
296
297
298
299
300
301
302
303
304
305
306
307
308
309
310
311
312
313
314