The story revolves around a young couple who are struggling to make ends meet. The husband is unemployed and the wife is working multiple jobs to support them. They live in a small apartment with a large rent, which they can barely afford. One day, the husband comes up with a plan to pay off their debts by selling some of his possessions at an auction. However, he gets drunk and loses all of the money at a poker game. The wife discovers what has happened and is furious. The couple's situation becomes even more desperate when they receive an eviction notice from their landlord. They are forced to move out of their apartment and into a small room in a boarding house. As they struggle to come up with the rent, the husband comes up with another plan. He decides to sell his wife's wedding ring at the auction, despite her protests. The ring is sold for a large sum of money, which allows them to pay off their debts and move back into their apartment. However, just as things are starting to look up, the husband reveals that he has been lying about his past. He had previously been married and had a child with his first wife, who died shortly after giving birth. The husband's current wife is shocked and heartbroken by this revelation. The story ends with the couple's relationship in shambles, and their future uncertain.
By O. Henry · First published 1914 · Genre: Literary Fiction, Romance, Social Commentary