"I don't see how you could have forbidden him access to the child."
He often used words that Esther did not understand, but guessing his
meaning, she answered--
"That's just what the missus said; she argued me into taking him to see
the child. I knew once he'd seen Jackie there'd be no getting rid of him.
I shall never get rid of him again."
"He has no claim upon you. It is just like him, low blackguard fellow that
he is, to come after you, persecuting you. But don't you fear; you leave
him to me. I'll find a way of stopping his little game."
Esther looked at his frail figure.
"You can do nothing; no one can do nothing," she said, and the tears
trembled in her handsome eyes. "He wants me to go away and live with him,
so that his wife may be able to divorce him."
"Wants you to go away and live with him! But surely, Esther, you do
not----"
"Yes, he wants me to go and live with him, so that his wife can get a
divorce," Esther answered, for the suspense irritated her; "and how can I
refuse to go with him?"
"Esther, are you serious? You cannot... You told me that you did not love
him, and after all----" He waited for Esther to speak.
"Yes," she said very quickly, "there is no way out of it that I can see."
"Esther, that man has tempted you, and you have not prayed.
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