ner's tone,
the first she'd ever heard. "Four dollars!--the one I've got on only
cost ninety cents."

"But that is n't a dress shirt, Dearie."

"No, you bet it is n't! But it's good enough for me!" Then with a
touch of sarcasm in his tone, "I suppose a certain kind of collar and
tie are necessary for a dress shirt?"

"A dollar would cover that."

"How _many_ collars?" he almost shouted.

"One."

Another pause; then, "I've got to have studs?"

Honey nodded.

Another pause. "And, holy smoke, cuff-buttons? Say, where do we get
off?"

"They 're not expensive, Dearie."

"But have you any idea how much?" he insisted.

"Four dollars ought to cover that."

"By gosh! Well, I guess that's all," he said quietly. Just then he
glanced down at his shoes. "It is n't necessary to have patent
leathers, too?" he appealed.

"It's customary, Dearie, but not absolutely necessary."

"People don't see your feet in a reception like that," he urged.

Honey smiled. "They might without difficulty, Dearie, if you chanced
to walk across the floor in some vacant space. Remember, you're not in
the subway where everybody stands on them and hides them."

"Don't be funny," said Skinner. "Mine are only in proportion. How
much? That's the question, while we're at it--how much?"

"You know the price of men's shoes better than I do, Dearie."

"I saw some patent leathers on Cortlandt Street at three dollars and a
half."

"Those were n't patent leathers--only pasteboard. They'd fall to
pieces if the night happened to be moist. And you'd reach the party
barefooted. Think of it, Dearie, going in with a dress suit on and
bare feet!"

Her giggle irritated Skinner.

"It may be very funny to you but--how much? That's the question!"

"Not more than six dollars for the best."

"I see," said Skinner, making an effort to be calm. "Silk hosiery?"

"A dollar will cover socks and garters both."

"Garters?" Skinner snapped. "Garters are a luxury. Besides, I never
had any success with garters. Safety pins for mine."

"My Dearie a safety-pin man--in a dress suit--not much!"

"Thank goodness, I don't have to have a high hat!"

"If there's anything that's really funny," Honey observed, "it's the
combination of a fine dress suit and a cheap hat. Six dollars will
cover that."

"That's a darned sight more than the hat'll cover if I don't stop
spending money! But why a hat, anyway?" he continued; "you don't wear
it in