And Barney, in his cynical
wisdom of his poor world, further knew that the average man enticed
into this poor trap, after the woman has said yes, and after the first
brief freshness has lost its bloom, becomes a tight-wad and there is
little real money to be got from him for any one.
"It's like this: once we've got this Sherwood bird safely hooked,"
expanded Barney with the air of an authority, flicking off his
cigarette ash with his best restaurant manner, "we can play the game a
hundred ways. But the marriage proposition is the best bet, and there
are two best ways of working that."
"Which d'you think we ought to use, Barney?" inquired Old Jimmie.
But Barney went on as if the older man had not asked a question. "Both
ways depend upon Sherwood being crazy in love, and upon his coming
across with a proposal and sticking to it. The first way, after being
proposed to, Maggie must break down and confess she's married to a man
she doesn't love and who doesn't love her. This husband would probably
give her a divorce, but he's a cagy guy and is out for the coin, and
if he smelled that she wanted to remarry some one with money he would
demand a large price for her freedom. Maggie must further confess that
she really has no money, and is therefore helpless.
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