“Nonsense!” began Mr. Huntress, and then suddenly checked himself. “No, it isn’t nonsense, either,” he added, “such a resolve was both a wise and a noble one, and worthy of you, Geoff. Under different circumstances I should feel that it would be wiser for you to wait until you were established in some profitable business. Somebody, however, must go abroad for the firm. I do not want to, neither of the other partners can leave, and so we have agreed to send some one in my place. Besides this, I am what would be termed a rich man, though I haven’t as much as the Astors or Vanderbilts, and all that I have will some day belong to Gladys—except a little slice that I had made up my mind to lay aside for you—and she may as well begin to reap the benefit of it now. I want her to see the old country; she is just fresh from school, and in the right trim and mood to enjoy it; she would grieve and mope to have you go and leave her behind, so I want you to go together. I know that you would have a jolly time of it. So we will have a little knot tied beforehand, to make everything all right and proper, and then you may enjoy your honeymoon to your heart’s content.”
Geoffrey’s heart was beating with great, heavy throbs of joy over these plans.
No thought of any such delightful scheme had for an instant entered his mind; indeed, he had feared that it would be a long time before he should feel that he had a right to ask Gladys to be his wife, and now every obstacle had been removed, and an easy path to the very summit of his hopes laid out for him.
“Well, Geoff,” continued Mr. Huntress, who had been watching him while something of this was passing through his brain, “what lies heavy on your mind now? You look as somber as if I had been plotting to separate a pair of lovers, instead of giving them to each other with my fondest blessing.”
Geoffrey looked up with gleaming eyes.
“I am anything but ‘somber’ over your proposition, Uncle August. I am simply trying to realize my great happiness,” he said, in a voice that vibrated with joy; “but what will Gladys herself say to this plan?”
“Go ask her, my boy. I’ll bet a big apple she won’t say no,” returned the gentleman, with a sly wink and a chuckle. “Hold on a minute, though, Geoff,” he added, as the young man sprang to his feet to obey him, “I want to tell you a little more about the business part of the plan, before you get immersed in the lovely part of it. You’ve three months yet before you, as we do not want you to sail before the last of December, or the first of January—rather cold weather for a pleasure trip across the Atlantic, eh?” and he shivered at the thought; “but we can’t have everything just as we want it. Another thing; owing to some details connected with our Boston house, you will be obliged to sail from that city instead of going direct from New York.”
“We occasionally have some very pleasant weather in January; perhaps the fates will be propitious and give us a pleasant passage,” said Geoffrey, smiling; “besides, I think I have heard that some of those Boston steamers are fully as comfortable and safe as those running from New York.”
“Well, comfort yourself all you can, my boy. I don’t envy you, however,” retorted the elder gentleman, with a grimace. “Meantime,” he continued, “we shall want you over at the office to receive instructions and gain a little knowledge regarding your duties on the other side.”
“I do not care how soon you set me at work,” Geoffrey eagerly replied, for he was longing with all his heart to become a man of business, and to feel that he was really doing something toward providing for his bride.