If he was sure her mother wouldn't get any of it...

A year and a half was quite a while, and fifteen hundred dollars wasn't much to live on these days.

She couldn't work, with the baby on her hands...
Frank watched him curiously, his jaws still resting between his two palms, his eyes red-rimmed and swollen, his lips loose and trembling.
A dollar alarm clock ticked resonantly, punctuated now and then by the dull clink of silver as Bud lifted a coin and let it drop on the little pile.
"Pretty good luck you had last night," Frank ventured wishfully.

"They cleaned me." Bud straightened his drooping shoulders and scooped the money into his hand.

He laughed recklessly, and got up.