"I hope I may have the honor soon," he returned. "They say that when a man marries, his wife always hates his most intimate friend. I hope it won't be so with your wife, Blair, I must confess."
"Margaret is incapable of hating any one," said Blair; "she is an angel, and angels can't hate if they try! Austin, old fellow cynic and woman-hater as you are, you will admit that I have some reason in my madness when you see the girl I love."
"I dare say," said Ambrose. "Well, good-bye! Come and tell me how it all goes."
"Of course," said Blair, getting his hat and stick.
"By the way," said Ambrose indolently; "this is quite a secret at present, isn't it? You have not told any one but me that you have ever seen this young lady?"
"It is quite a secret if you like to call it so," said Blair. "I have told no one."
"I can't help thinking you were right," said Ambrose. "If I were you I would not open my lips to any one."
Lord Blair nodded, but his face grew overcast.
"I do hate all this mystery," he said; "but I suppose you are right. What I want to do is to take her hand and stand before the world and say, 'Look here, what a prize I have got!'"
"Yes; very nice of you," said Austin Ambrose, "but as we concluded that it is your duty and policy to keep the world in the dark for the present, the best thing you can do is to say nothing to anybody."