“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. “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.