The story
“When Nelson Morgan met Louise Vaughn and fell in love with her, he believed that his past was buried. After that unhappy misstep of his in Paris, he had left quite suddenly for America, summoned home by his father. As the girl, who had been his model and came of poor, uneducated folk, could never possibly have shared his life, he had believed that the best thing he could do was give her an explanation and go away. Time would heal a heart so easily won. After all, there were thousands of other girls like Mary. But Louise was different from any woman he ever had met before. She lived alone in a small house in the environs of Paris, and she had adopted a child. After he had proposed to her and had been accepted, the presence of the little boy and her tender absorption in him made Morgan vaguely uneasy.
“’When we are married,’ he asked her one day, ‘could we not send Robin to the country? I know a good woman who would take the best of care of him. And you know it is much better for kids not to be housed so much—they need to grow up out of doors—‘ She stopped his subterfuge with a look. ‘I always will take care of him myself. He was entrusted to me by a friend. Ah, I know people gossip—but if you know the truth, how can the rest matter? But even if he were my child, would that make any difference between you and me?’
“Morgan had replied with the worn-out adage that a man wishes his wife ‘to be virtuous’—and Louise felt that he, even he, deep in his heart, doubted her. The strain was broken by the arrival of a telegram. Silently, Louise lay it before Morgan. He read: ‘Your friend has taken an unexpected turn for the worse. Cannot live many days—calls for you and the child. Come.’
“’Will you go with me?’ she asked Morgan. They reached the sanitarium early the following day. After a tender greeting between the two women, Louise said: ‘Dear, I have promised to marry. He is here with me now. For my sake and Robin’s, will you tell him who Robin’s father and mother are?’ A moment of waiting—then she nodded weakly. Louise kissed her, and opened the door. Morgan entered. The sick woman buried her face with a smothered cry. In that moment Louise knew.
“There was one thing to be done—before it was too late. Pleading for the child’s sake, Louise won Mary’s consent, and roused in Morgan that slumbering chord of responsibility to fatherhood. They were married in the hospital room, in Louise’s presence. A year later, Morgan sought the woman he loved. Louise was torn by many conflicting emotions. Should she follow her own heart? His pleading voice was in her ears. And a soft child voice was saying, ‘Don’t let him go away. I like him. Can’t he stay?’ Then the woman’s heart in her gave way—the flood gates opened—the divinity of forgiveness swept through her soul with the boundlessness of the eternal seas. She held out her arms to the man and to his child.”
Summary from Reel Life · 23 May 1914
