How much money has he ?" "He's got plenty," Gus declared.

"More 'n is good for him if--" "If what ?" Ma queried.
Gus halted; it was Allie who answered: "If he's done what we think he's done--gone away after some woman." "Some _woman_ ?" Ma stared blankly from one face to another.

"Buddy in love?
Why, he never wrote me nothing about bein' in love." Reading a further message in her husband's expression, she cried, fiercely: "He's a good boy.

He wouldn't take up with--with nobody that wasn't nice.
What makes you think it's a girl ?" "I didn't say 'girl,' Ma, I said '_woman_.' Buddy's been writin' to me and--" "What's the difference?
Mebbe he's in love with some nice young woman an' they've run away to git married.

Buddy's han'some, and they got nice women everywhere--" "_Love_?
With all his money?
And him only up to fractions ?" Allegheny laughed scornfully.
Gus Briskow wiped his face with a nervous hand.