Mr. Huntress burst into a hearty laugh.
“I imagine it could be managed without depriving me of my wife as well as my daughter. How would it do to have that young lady go along as—as Mrs. Geoffrey Dale Huntress?”
CHAPTER XXXIII.
A WEDDING IN PROSPECT.
At that moment a servant appeared at the door and was about to enter upon some trifling errand. Seeing the eager, intent look upon the faces of both men, she quietly withdrew, unobserved.
Geoffrey sat up, amazed.
“Surely you cannot mean that—that Gladys is to go as my wife?” he exclaimed, flushing hotly.
“And why not? You expect to marry Gladys some time,” was the calm reply.
“Yes, I hope so, Uncle August; but I am not now in a position to properly take care of a wife.”
“But we are going to pay you a good salary and defray your traveling expenses also, if you go abroad for us.” said Mr. Huntress. “You will have to be away for several months, and I know that Gladys will grieve sadly over the separation. I have given the subject a good deal of thought; and I have talked it over with mother. Gladys wants a trip abroad, we want her to have it, too, and neither of us feels like crossing the ocean; therefore we have decided that the best arrangement, for all parties, will be to have a wedding and send you two off together on a bridal trip. Of course we shall miss our daughter—we shall miss you both for that matter; but the earlier you go the sooner we shall have you back again. What do you think of the proposition?”
“Nothing could give me greater happiness than to have my dearest hopes realized in this unexpected manner; but I had made up my mind not to claim the fulfillment of Gladys’ promise to me until I could make a place for myself in the world, and provide a generous support for her,” Geoffrey replied, with still heightened color.