The protagonist, Robert Gillian, is the presumptive heir of his recently deceased uncle. Gillian is a carefree, idle, selfish, and irresponsible young man whose lavish lifestyle was financed through his uncle’s generous allowance. When he first received his inheritance, the narrator says, he “gave a decidedly amused laugh as he fingered the thin package of new fifty-dollar notes” (75). Instead of being grateful, he laments the awkwardness of the amount and comments, “It’s such a confoundedly awkward amount. If it had been ten thousand a fellow might wind up with a lot of fireworks and do himself credit. Even $50 would have been less trouble” (75). Gillian’s reaction to the inheritance demonstrates his detachment from the necessity of money. He never suffered from a lack of money and had no reason to work for it. He appears entitled and ungrateful.

When he has a conversation with Bryson, who offers several morally righteous things he could do with the money, Gillian reproaches him for being too moral and then repeats his request: “I asked you to tell me what I could do with a thousand dollars” (78), implying the earlier suggestions were not plausible ways to spend his money.