If it were any other girl I suppose I'd have to, but Babs, why, she must understand.

And yet--damn that Duke!" In order to woo her properly he would be compelled to neglect financial duties that needed every particle of brain-energy at his command.

He found himself opposed at the outset by a startling embarrassment, made absolutely clear by the computations of the night before.

The last four days of indifference to finance on one side, and pampering the heart on the other, had proved very costly.

To use his own expression, he had been "set back" almost eight thousand dollars.