Finally he plunged directly into his
purpose. "You must know, Stephen," he said, "that I am decidedly
obligated to a Mrs. Scofield." Jannan nodded shortly. "The thing dragged
on for a number of years, but is quite dead now; in fact, it has been
for a considerable number of months. That, in itself, doesn't bother me;
it is comparatively simple; but there is a child, a girl, Stephen."
"I didn't know that," the other acknowledged. "It is an ugly difficulty.
Do you wish to legitimatize your--the child? There is marriage of
course."
"I have no intention of marrying Essie Scofield," Jasper Penny said
coldly. "And I am almost certain she wouldn't consent if I had. I am
quite willing to assume a proper responsibility; but there is a limit to
my conception of that. There was never any serious question of marriage;
there is none now. I simply wish to get complete control of Eunice; by
adoption, perhaps; she is seven years old."
"There are no laws of adoption, as such, in Pennsylvania," Jannan told
him. "The only State with that provision is Louisiana; there, by an act
of Legislature, the thing can be legalized. I could arrange it through
correspondence, a certain residence within the State. It would be
cumbersome and expensive, but possible.
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