As a matter of fact, he was almost jubilant. He
slapped his knee with resounding force and uttered an ejaculation
that caused his wife to stare at him as if the very worst had
happened: he was a chuckling lunatic!
"Immense!" he exclaimed. "Immense!"
"Oh, Will!" she sobbed.
"Nothing could be better! Luck is with me, Lou. It always is."
"In heaven's name, what are you saying, Will?"
"Great Scott, can't you see? He goes abroad, she goes abroad. See?
Same ship. See what I mean? Nothing could be finer. They--"
"But I do not want my child to go abroad," wailed the unhappy mother.
"I cannot bear--"
"Stuff and nonsense! Brace up! Grasp the romance. Both of 'em sailing
under assumed names. They see each other on deck. Mutual attraction.
Love at first sight. Both of 'em. Money no object. There you are.
Leave it to me."
"Maud is not the kind of girl to take up with a stranger on board--"
"Don't glare at me like that! Love finds the way, it doesn't matter
what kind of a girl she is. But listen to me, Lou; we've got to be
mighty careful that Maud doesn't suspect that we're putting up a job
on her.
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