“All I ask is that you will give me a chance to show what I can do,” he said, earnestly.
“You can do that just as well with Phoebe in the convent, as I’ve said before.”
“She’s as much my child as she is yours,” he proclaimed, stoutly. 118
“Then you ought to be willing to do the sensible thing by her.”
“Why, good Lord, Nell, she’s only five,” he groaned. “She’ll die of homesickness.”
“Nonsense! She’ll forget both of us in a month and be happy.”
“She won’t forget me!” he exclaimed.
“Well, I’ve said my say,” she announced, pacing the floor. “Suppose we agree to disagree. Well, isn’t it better to have her out of the mess?”
“I won’t give her up, derned if I do!”
“Say, don’t you know if it comes to a question of law, the Court will give her to me?”