“Take her as my wife,” said Clark, with a grin. “I think I’ll follow your example and set up housekeeping. The girl’s plucky; and I’d like to take her down.”
“We’ll do it; and the sooner the better. You don’t want a minister, do you?”
“Well, I think I’ll have it done up ship-shape, marriage in high life; papers all full of it; lovely appearance of the bride—ha, ha, ha! I’ll save you all further trouble about her—a husband is better than a father in such a case. If that Italian comes round it’ll be his last round.”
Some further conversation followed, in which Clark kept making perpetual references to his bride. The idea had taken hold of his mind completely.
At one o’clock Potts went to the inn, where he found the agent. He handed over the money in silence. The agent gave him the documents. Potts looked at them all carefully.
Then he departed.
CHAPTER XLIV. — THE STRANGER’S STORY.
That evening a number of people were in the principal parlor of the Brandon Inn. It was a cool evening in October; and there was a fire near which the partner of Bigelow, Higginson, & Co. had seated himself.