do it."

"That's the trouble," she expostulated; "it's too easy. You can fall in
all right, but how will you get out?"

"I don't want out," he assured her. "I play marbles for keeps."

"All right then; take to pickles and perfume. Look here, Johnny; if
none of her own set can ring her with an orange wreath what can an
outsider do?"

"How do I know till I try?" he inquired. "I get you, Polly. You mean
I'm not in her class; but, you see, I want her!"

"So do the others," she objected.

"They're not used to hard work," he earnestly informed her. "Say, I
need a million dollars."

"Take enough while you're at it! What do you want it for?"

"Her stack's that high."

"She'd never count it."

"I know; but Aunt Pattie and I would. I have to have it, Polly."

"Then you'll get it," she resignedly admitted. "Why, Johnny, I believe
you could get Constance, too!" she added with suddenly accelerated
belief in him. "Well, I'm certainly for you. Tell me, what can I do to
help you?"

"Poison Gresham for me."

"Give me your fifteen cents," she directed. "He's about as popular with
her as a flea with a dog; but he goes with the furniture. He was wished
on her by her Aunt Gertrude."

"Why did her aunt hate her?"

"She hated everybody; so she went in for charity. She made six wills,
each time leaving all her money to a different public institution; but
they each one did something she didn't like before she could die. The
last time she decided to give Constance a chance, made a new will and
took sick the same night. Constance has the interest on her million
till she marries Gresham; then she gets it all. If she marries anybody
else before Gresham dies the money goes to a home for blind cats, or
something like that."

"Healthy soul, wasn't she?" commiserated Johnny. "But why Gresham?"

"The bug for family. Aunt Gertrude's father didn't make his
tobacco-trust money fast enough for her to marry Gresham's father, who
would have been a lord if everybody in England had died. Constance is
to bring aristocracy into the family now."

"Tell her to tear up that million. I'll get her another one," offered
Johnny easily.

"You'll need some repairs before you start," she suggested. "They tell
me you're down and out."

"Tell them to guess again!" he indignantly retorted. "I own all the
to-morrows in the world. There's money in every one of them."

"I've got an awful big bank-account that needs exercise," she offered.
"Now, look