heap restaurants. Have n't we,
Dearie?"

"Yes," said Skinner. "But what has that got to do with it."

"As a result, we've always met cheap people."

"You mean poor people?" said Skinner quickly.

"Goodness, no, Dearie,--I mean _cheap_ people,--people with cheap
minds, cheap morals, cheap motives, cheap manners, and worst of
all,--cheap speech! I'm tired of cheap people!"

"What are you going to do about it?" said Skinner, his apprehension
growing.

"We're not going to put one cent of this new money in the bank! That's
what I 'm going to do about it! Instead of waiting a year for that
five hundred and twenty dollars to accumulate, we're going to begin
now. We'll never be any younger. We're going to draw on our first
year's prosperity!"

"What the deuce are you talking about?" said Skinner, staring at Honey,
wild-eyed. "What do you mean?"

She clapped her hands. "Now, don't argue! I've planned it all out!
We're going to have a good time--good clothes! We 're going to begin
on you, you old dear! You're going to have a _dress suit_!"

"Dress suit?" Skinner echoed. "Why dress suit? Why dress suit now at
this particular stage of the game? Why dress suit at all?"

"Why? For the reception at the First Presbyterian, of course. I 'm
tired of having you a sit-in-the-corner, watch-the-other-fellow-dance,
male-wallflower proposition! You old dear, you don't think I 'm going
to let you miss that affair just for the sake of a dress suit, now that
we've got a whole year's raise to spend--do you?"

"How much does a dress suit cost?" Skinner murmured, almost
inarticulately.

"Only ninety dollars!"

Skinner reached for his demi-tasse and gulped it down hot. "I see," he
said. Then, after a pause, "Couldn't we hire one? It's only for one
occasion."

"My Dearie in a hired dress suit? I guess not!"

Skinner pondered a moment, like a cat on a fence with a dog on either
side. "Could n't we buy it on the installment plan?"

"We might buy a cheap suit on the installment plan. But remember,
Dearie, we're not going to be cheap people any more!"

"One can see that with half an eye," said Skinner.

"Now, Dearie, don't be sarcastic."

"I think I 'll have another demi-tasse," said Skinner, playing for
time, and held out his cup.

"It'll keep you awake, Dearie."

"If I don't sleep, it won't be the coffee that keeps me awake," said
Skinner enigmatically; so Honey brought in the second demi-tasse.

Whe