Neith Boyce

“ Minna drew a long breath, moved and sat down, folded her hands about her knee, and looked at Allyn, frowning. He did not meet her look, and she turned to Fleming suddenly.
"Does he mean it?" she demanded. "What makes him give up—what is it really?"
"Well, Minna, if you ask me," said Fleming dryly, "this incident reminds me of a certain judgment of Solomon. Perhaps you recollect a story about two women and a child? You were willing to divide the children, though you thought they would suffer by it. He is not; he gives up his claim. ”

“ I don't know if you've noticed it, Fleming, but there's an unusual affection between them. They've never had many other playmates; they've never been separated for a day. Richard loves Paul. He's the more affectionate of the two. He loves Paul more than he does his mother or me——"
"And Paul is devoted to Richard," broke in Minna sharply. "You've never been fair to Paul, because he doesn't care as much for you as he does for me. But he loves Richard dearly. Would you separate those two children?"
"It isn't fair that I should give them both up," retorted Allyn instantly. ”

“ Fleming looked at the governess, who was sifting near him.
"That's so like them," she said in a low voice. "Paul is always irritating Richard, and yet he can't bear Richard to be angry with him. The worst punishment for him is not to be allowed to play with Richard. But I think Richard is fonder of Paul than Paul is of him. He's the more loving of the two. He's very good to Paul."
Fleming nodded, with a troubled look. He was beginning to dislike what had seemed to him the only fair solution of the Allyns' domestic problem. "Wickie, don't go away—stay with Paul!" ”

“ But he would not follow his impulse and flee. He would, if possible, help them out of their present deadlock. But he foresaw a tough struggle with Minna. She would have to yield something; Robert should have one of the children.
"That seems the only solution that's at all fair to you both," he said, when, after dinner, the governess went out and the other three into the loggia for coffee.
Minna made no comment in words at first; but Fleming could hear her draw her breath sharply, and see her eyes turned toward him, gleaming like cold steel. Allyn was walking up and down restlessly. ”

“ Allyn, a slender dark man, rather carelessly dressed, looked fagged, and nervously smoked one cigarette after another. They went on for a little way in silence, then Allyn asked:
"Have you had your talk with Minna? Oh, I knew she meant to talk to you to-day. She's fond of talking just now—to anybody but me."
Fleming put an arm about Allyn's shoulders.
"She's in a very nervous state, old man."
"Yes—for her, she is. She's usually cool and calm enough—rather too much so. When she gets rid of me she'll be all right. ”

“ THE two handsome boys, six and four years old, one blond like the mother, the younger dark like the father, were playing on the terrace, through the light and shade of pointed firs. They were both dressed in white, with sturdy bare legs, their hair picturesquely cut square across the forehead and nape of the neck. ”

“ Married people all have jars and tiffs—I shouldn't wonder if a lot of them pulled through a strain like this and came out all right."
"No, old fellow, it's serious. It's been coming on for years—ever since Paul was born. It's got to the breaking-point now."
"I had an idea," said Fleming, after a pause, "that you felt there needn't be an absolute break."
"It seemed to me there needn't be," Allyn replied, "because there is no one else that Minna cares for—at present. But she means that there shall be some one else. She wants a complete new life. She wants to begin over again. ”

“ Why on earth, with ease, leisure, agreeable surroundings, and those fine children, could they not sink their temperamental differences and live decently together for something besides their narrow personal feelings? ”

“ Fleming had said. "It will probably come to that, then—and will probably go against you. You ask too much. In a break like this, you must expect to compromise."
Minna had given up her first absolute stand. This morning she came to plead and argue for her side of it. Fleming presented Robert's side. And it came down to the hard fact that Robert refused to give up both of the children, and could not be forced to do it. ”