“No,” she said, “a man who could leave a woman to get along the best she could with his helpless children, has no heart.” As she gazed at him, all the misery he had caused her seemed to pass before her like a panorama. She even wondered at herself. Here was the man who turned her head in her youth and inexperience, who had been the magnet that had drawn her away from all that she had held most dear. As he stood before her for the first time in three years, she could think of but one thing and that was to get him away.
He had only told her that he loved her to hear what she would say. He laughed to himself at the joke. He had a curiosity to see her and the children and nothing more. Just as though he would give up Rosy for this thin, careworn woman, who at any time might upbraid him for his past life. Then, besides, he thought, “who wants to be tied to a woman? I had enough of it. Rosy suits me now, and if I get tired of her, there are others.”
Finally he promised he would leave as soon as he had seen the children. She took him to the public parlor, not wishing to leave him in her apartment and then went to the school for them. In about fifteen minutes, she had them before him, not a little proud to show him how well she had been able to get along without him. They approached him rather timidly, as they would a stranger, even Nellie feeling the change and neglect. His whole attention was given, however, to Freddie, who ran up to him.
“You know papa, don’t you, my boy?”
“Of course I do,” said the little fellow, as he cuddled up to him.
Mira noticed that he did not look at the others, but that he could not take his eyes off of Freddie.
“My poor little boy,” he said. Then tears came to his eyes.
It was harder than Mira had anticipated. The man really seemed to have some feeling for his boy, but the thought came to her, “It is only one of his outbursts. The man is not all bad, but too vile for me to have any more of these meetings.” Then he turned to her and asked if she would not live with him, if she at least would not give him the boy, for she had the other two.
With one rush, she grabbed the child and ordered him to leave her, reminding him of his promise.
“Give you my child!” she said in scorn.