entertainment, including a bottle of champagne at dinner, their tickets
and a corsage bouquet of violets for Flossy, had been fifteen dollars.
Flossy wore a resplendent theatre hat and fashionable cape--one of the
several stylish costumes with which her husband had hastened to present
her, and Gregory was convoying her along the Avenue with the air of a
man not averse to have the world recognize that they were a well set up
and prosperous couple. Flossy had put her arm well inside his and was
doing her best to help him produce the effect which he desired, when she
suddenly said:

"I wonder, Gregory, how long it will be before we're really anybody.
Now, of course, we're only make believe swell."

Gregory gave an amused laugh. "What a clever little woman! That's just
what we are. We'll keep it a secret, though, and won't advertise it to
the world."

"Mum's the word," she replied, giving his arm a squeeze. "I only wished
you to know that I was not being fooled; that I understood."

Fate ordained that the Williamses and the Littletons should take houses
side by side in the same block. It was a new block, and at first they
were the sole occupants. Williams bought his house, giving a mortgage
back to the seller for all the man would accept, and obtaining a second
mortgage from a money lender in consideration of a higher rate of
interest, for practically the remaining value. He furnished his house
ornately from top to bottom in the latest fashion, incurring bills for a
portion of the effects, and arranging to pay on the instalment plan
where he could not obtain full credit. His reasoning was convincing to
himself and did not alarm Flossy, who was glad to feel that they were