n dinner was over, the Skinners spent the rest of the evening in
front of the open fire. Honey put her arms about Dearie and smiled
into the flames. Skinner looked at her tenderly for a few moments,
pressed her soft, glossy hair with his lips, and began to realize that
he 'd have to do some high financing!

That night, as Skinner lay staring at the ceiling and listening to
Honey's gentle and happy breathing, he reflected on the beginnings of a
life of crime. Ninety dollars right off the bat! Gee whiz! He had
not included any such thing in his calculations when he had hit upon
his brilliant scheme of self-promotion. Great Scott!--what
possibilities lurked in the background of the deception he'd practiced
on Honey! He 'd heard of the chickens of sin coming home to roost, but
he'd never imagined that they began to do it so early in the game. He
no longer felt guilty that he had deceived Honey, for had n't her
confession that she had deceived _him_ about putting that money in the
bank made them co-sinners? And one does n't feel so sinful when
sinning against another sinner!

Ninety dollars! Gee whiz! But, after all, ninety dollars was n't such
an awful lot of money--and he'd see to it that ninety dollars was the
limit!

CHAPTER III

SKINNER'S DRESS SUIT

Honey went to the city with Skinner the next day, and during the
lunch-hour a high-class tailor in the financial district measured
Skinner for his dress suit. Honey had sensed from Dearie's protest the
night of the "raise" that it would be hard to pry him loose from any
more cash than the first ninety dollars, so she did n't try to--with
words. She would let him convince himself. So, when the wonderful
outfit arrived a few days later, and Skinner put it on, she pretended
to admire the whole effect unqualifiedly.

"Beautiful!" she cried; "perfectly beautiful!"

But she chuckled to herself as she noted the look of perplexity that
gradually came into Skinner's eyes as he regarded himself in the mirror.

"These clothes are very handsome," he said presently, "and they're a
perfect fit--but the general effect does n't seem right."

[Illustration: "The general effect does n't seem right!"]

Honey remained discreetly silent.

Presently Skinner turned to her with a suggestion of trouble in his
eyes. "Say, Honey, what do dress shirts cost?"

"I don't know exactly. Four dollars, perhaps."

"Four dollars!" There was a suggestion of a snarl in Skin