Geoffrey Skelton

“ Oh, sir, I did ye a woeful wrong, in my anger and jealous fit, when ye were a child. I’ve no right to expect it, but ’twould comfort my poor old heart more’n I could tell ye, if I could hear ye say ye don’t lay it up ag’in me.”
Geoffrey turned frankly toward the humble suppliant beside him.
“I do not, Jack,” he said, heartily; “you were the victim of drink, and were hardly accountable for the deeds of that night; you condemn yourself more than you really deserve, for if you have told me everything just as it occurred, your wife did not die by your hand—her death was caused by an accident.” ”

“ Mrs. Mapleson crimsoned to her brow, then grew white as the snowy lace about her neck; her lips quivered painfully, and hot tears rushed to her eyes.
“Are you not somewhat harsh in your judgment of me, Everet? Surely, whatever else you may say of me, you cannot accuse me of lacking in affection for my son,” she said, sadly and tremulously.
“Forgive me, mother,” he pleaded, conscience-smitten, “but, indeed, it nearly drives me distracted to think that I may not be able to win Gladys; while he, that beggar without even a name, has won her without an effort.” ”

“ I feel sure that our Geoff is safe enough. I judge, from the fellow’s words, that he has been decoyed to some place, where he was to be detained until the wedding was well over, and Mapleson well on the way to Boston with Gladys. Heavens! what an escape for the dear child!” he concluded, growing white over the contemplation of the young girl’s sad fate if Everet had succeeded in keeping up the deception until after the steamer had sailed.
“But is it an escape?” Mrs. Huntress whispered, with quivering lips. “Can the marriage be annulled?” ”

“ Empty hands are no disgrace if they are honest and willing hands, backed by energy and a resolute spirit, both of which I know you possess. As for the name, it is above reproach, but not more so than the manly fellow upon whom I have bestowed it, and of whom I am very proud; I know he will never dishonor it.”
“Thank you, Uncle August,” Geoffrey replied, with a suspicious tremor in his voice: “but heart, hands, name, and even life itself will not amount to much with me if I am denied the love I crave—the world would be nothing to me without Gladys.” ”

“ Geoffrey began, then stopped short, a burning flush rising to the roots of his hair, although his heart had thrilled with joy to every word his uncle had uttered.
“Well, out with it; surely you are not going to argue against your own cause, when you can have everything your own way—that is, as far as I am concerned,” Mr. Huntress said, laughingly.
“But I wish you to consider the matter in all its bearings,” the young man responded, very seriously. “You must not forget that you are utterly ignorant of my parentage. ”

“ Uncle August, you are driving me mad! Explain! explain! I cannot bear these enigmas!” cried the poor fellow, springing to his feet in a fearful state of agitation, while a cold perspiration started out all over his face.
Mr. Huntress gently forced him back into his chair and began at once to tell him all that had occurred, from the moment of the departure of the bridal party from the church, up to the present hour.
Geoffrey sat throughout the fearful recital as if he had suddenly been turned to stone, and when at last it was concluded, there were several moments of dreadful silence. ”

“ I suppose, in point of fact, that we are, in a certain way, related to each other,” he went on, with a disagreeable shrug. “If, under the circumstances, you can derive any comfort from it, much good may it do you.”
Geoffrey grew crimson, and, for a moment, his eyes blazed wrathfully at this taunt.
“Was Mr. William Mapleson at Saratoga during any portion of last summer?” he asked, struggling for self-control.
“I believe he ran up there for a few days when he came North to join my mother at Newport,” Everet returned, wondering what the question could have to do with the point under discussion. ”

“ Geoff; she loves you far too well for that,” returned Mr. Huntress, gravely, but still closely watching his protege, for he could well understand the pain he was suffering.
43Geoffrey’s face kindled, and his companion could see his temples throbbing as the blood coursed more quickly through his veins at his words.
“Thank you, Uncle August, for assuring me of Gladys’ affection; but I want her respect as well,” he said, with a slight quiver in his tone. ”

“ Geoffrey repeated, in a startled tone.
“Very. There has been a most villainous plot connected with this affair.”
From Mr. Huntress’ manner, Geoffrey saw that something of a very grave nature had occurred.
“What is it?” he demanded. “Tell me at once; I can bear anything better than suspense.
“Geoff, there was a wedding!”
“Uncle August!”
“But no one save ourselves and our good doctor, as yet, suspects that there was anything wrong about it.”
“Are you crazy? What do you mean?” cried the young man, breathlessly. “A wedding? That could not be. ”

“ I can face the whole world, now that my Madge lives and loves me the same as ever. I can breathe free once more, since I know her blood ain’t on my hands—oh! it’s too good a’most to be true!” he continued, drawing a long, full breath, “and bless ye, sir, all I’ve got in the world wouldn’t pay ye what I owe ye.”
“Jack, you owe me nothing,” Geoffrey responded, grasping him heartily by the hand. “I do not forget who cared for me during the first few years of my life, and if I have helped in any way to restore peace to you and happiness to Margery, I am more than paid already.” ”

“ Mapleson promised solemnly never to claim her, under any circumstances; she gave her unreservedly to us, and I cannot feel willing to have our relations disturbed. As far as any property which she might inherit from your wife is concerned, I would not give it a moment’s consideration. I have an abundance, and Gladys will have it all by and by. I did intend to make a division between my two children,” turning with a smile to the young man by his side, “but since Geoffrey is now so rich, he will not need it. ”

“ Suspicion might be aroused immediately, and you would be liable to get into trouble; but no one would think it at all strange if I should return to make inquiries regarding my old nurse.”
“Wall, but everybody knew we went off together,” said Jack.
“Very true; but if unpleasant questions were asked, I could explain that you escaped to Australia, while I was cared for by friends in New York; all of which would be true,” Geoffrey responded.
“Thank ye, sir; ye’re kinder to me than I deserve; but even if I knew they’d snap me up, I reckon I should go. ”

“ Huntress to Geoffrey, “made a very singular will—a very arbitrary and unnatural will. He divided the whole of his property, which was very large, into two portions, one of which he bequeathed to me, the other to his niece, Miss Estelle Everet, who is now my wife—upon the condition that we would marry each other. He gave us until Miss Everet would be twenty-five to make up our minds; if we both refused to comply with his wishes at the end of that time, and each married some one else, the whole fortune was to go to a certain Robert Dale, who was first cousin to our uncle. ”

“ Huntress, a sly smile curling the corners of his mouth, “how it would do to let Gladys go with you; she has always been sighing for European travel.”
Geoffrey sat erect in his chair, as if suddenly galvanized, and shot a look of astonishment at his companion.
“Uncle August! you know that wouldn’t do at all, unless—Aunt Alice should accompany us,” he said, in confusion.
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?” ”

“ He drew her close to his wildly bounding heart and laid her head upon his breast.
“My own darling! that means that you love me even as I love you! Oh, Gladys, how I have longed to hear this confession from your lips, and yet I have never dared to betray the affection that has become a part of my very life.”
“Haven’t you, Geoff?” Gladys asked, a mischievous smile wreathing her red lips, which, however, he could not see.
“No; for I felt that it would not be right to do so. I feared that Uncle August would feel that I had betrayed his confidence, and taken an unfair advantage of his kindness. ”

“ If I was a college boy I believe I should strive to attain the top round of the ladder.”
“It is not every one who can do that.”
“True, but every one can at least try to excel, and even if one does not, he has the satisfaction of knowing that he has done his best.”
“Are you going to be first in your class at Vassar, Miss Huntress?” Everet Mapleson asked, studying her eager face earnestly.
Gladys flushed again, and laughed.
“I am doing my utmost, Mr. Mapleson, to come forth from my school an honor to my class; and Geoffrey is bending all his energies toward the same object ”

“ Geoffrey shivered. It was dreadful to have to listen to these revelations, and to realize what a narrow escape Gladys had had, for he knew that if Everet Mapleson had succeeded in deceiving her until the steamer sailed, the shock of her discovery, when alone, and in the power of the audacious scoundrel, might have resulted in her death. Even now they might not be able to secure her release, and she would still have to remain his wife in the sight of the world, but no moral obligation bound her to him, and no power could ever compel her to live with him. ”

“ Margery exclaimed, in a tone of startled amazement. “I never saw a man fonder of his wife than Captain Dale was of your mother; and he had reason to be fond of her, too, for she worshiped the very air he breathed, and was always so sweet and merry that a man would have been a brute not to have loved her. But——”
“Well?” queried Geoffrey, eagerly, the hot blood surging to his brow, with a feeling of dread, as she stopped, a note of sudden conviction in her tone. ”

“ It was ten o’clock before the physician succeeded in arresting the tendency to fainting, and she came fully to herself.
“Geoffrey!” she moaned, as soon as she could speak, and looking around for the dear face, while a shudder shook her from head to foot.
Doctor Hoyt shot a warning look at Mr. and Mrs. Huntress; then said, in a reassuring tone:
“He is all right, and shall come to you when you are rather more like yourself. Now, drink this for the sake of getting a little strength.”
He put a glass to her lips, and she drank mechanically. ”

“ Gladys stole one little hand confidingly into his, under cover of her opera cloak.
“Never mind, Geoff, now that I have you here; I will tell you some other time,” she whispered, as she involuntarily turned her still flashing eyes toward young Mapleson, while a slight shiver ran through her frame.
Geoffrey’s glance followed hers, and his face clouded.
“Has he dared——” he began, sternly.
“Hush!” she returned; “it is all past; he will never dare again.” ”

“ Then, with an evident effort, he looked up in Geoffrey’s face, and said:
“I know that you might have all, had you chosen to take it, and in that case I would have been a beggar. You have led me to believe—and not by this act alone, either—that there is at least one truly noble, unselfish man in the world. If you do not utterly despise me, will you henceforth recognize me as a friend?”
He extended his hand as he spoke, but it shook visibly, and he was very pale. It had not been an easy thing for this proud young Southerner to make such a confession and appeal. ”

“ She knew that it was Geoffrey Huntress from some trifling difference in his dress, although, even to her keen mother’s eye, it was almost impossible to otherwise distinguish him from her son.
But after a passing glance at him, her attention was riveted upon the exquisitely beautiful girl at his side, whose face was all aglow with health and happiness.
“They are lovers,” Mrs. Mapleson said to herself, as she saw how oblivious they were of all save each other. “I wonder who the young girl is? How graceful she is in every movement! ”

“ I love her as a man loves the woman whom he wishes to make his wife,” said Geoffrey, with a very pale face, for the die was cast now, and he waited the result with fear and trembling.
“Humph! and this is your confession?”
“Yes, sir; I hope you will not regard me as a viper that turns and stings the hand that nourishes it,” the young man pleaded, with emotion.
August Huntress did not reply for a moment. ”

“ That word was like a blow to Geoffrey, who staggered back with a groan of anguish.
But he quickly rallied.
“She is not your wife!” he said, fiercely; “a farce—an act of fraud, could never make her such.”
“You are a trifle premature in your statement,” retorted young Mapleson, with a sneer. “I do not deny that my purpose was accomplished by something of strategy, but it was accomplished, notwithstanding—Gladys Huntress was married to me to-night, and it is simply useless to contest the fact.”
“You may have gone through the marriage service with her ”

“ She was willing to live simply, even frugally, if I would only do right, acknowledge our marriage before the world, and not have to hide like a couple of criminals.
“Our joy was increased tenfold when, a little before our first anniversary, a bright, handsome boy was born to us.”
Again Mrs. Mapleson started and shot another glance at Geoffrey.
“That explains it all,” she murmured.
“Yes, Estelle,” replied her husband, who caught the words, “that explains why this young man resembles Everet to such a wonderful degree. They are both thorough Maplesons. ”