Montgomery Brewster

Peggy Gray

Montgomery is deeply in love with Peggy, and she is his primary romantic interest throughout the story.

Barbara Drew

Barbara is a wealthy socialite who pursues Montgomery romantically, creating a love triangle with Peggy.

Mrs. Dan DeMille

Mrs. Dan DeMille is Montgomery's aunt and the executor of his inheritance, overseeing his spending conditions.

Colonel Drew

Colonel Drew is a lawyer and trustee managing Montgomery's inheritance, often skeptical of his actions.

Swearengen Jones

Swearengen Jones is Montgomery's loyal friend and business partner, helping him spend his fortune.

Nopper Harrison

Nopper Harrison is a close friend and fellow baseball player who supports Montgomery's schemes.

Captain Abner Perry

Captain Abner Perry is an eccentric inventor and friend who Montgomery funds for various projects.

Joe Bragdon

Joe Bragdon is a childhood friend and teammate who remains loyal to Montgomery.

Louise Sedgwick Brewster

Louise Sedgwick Brewster is Montgomery's mother, who is concerned about his reckless spending.

Paul Pettingill

Paul Pettingill is a friend and fellow baseball player who joins Montgomery's adventures.

Subway Smith

Subway Smith is a friend and member of Montgomery's inner circle, often involved in his spending sprees.

Elon Gardner

Elon Gardner is a lawyer and trustee who monitors Montgomery's compliance with the inheritance terms.

A Birthday Dinner

The guest of honor, turning 25, known for his independence and good nature.

II: Shades of Aladdin

Inherits one million dollars and struggles with the weight and strangeness of his new fortune.

III: Mrs. and Miss Gray

Returns to the Gray home, attempts to offer financial help, and learns of his uncle's death and inheritance.

IV: A Second

Learns of his uncle's seven-million-dollar inheritance and the condition to be penniless by his 26th birthday; initially enthusiastic about spending his grandfather's million.

V: The Message from Jones

Struggles with the enormity of spending a million dollars in a year; calculates daily expenditure; accepts the challenge despite the risks.

Monty Cristo

Leases a luxurious apartment, plans a lavish dinner, and keeps nightly expense accounts, showing his growing calculativeness and extravagance.

A Lesson in Tact

Rebukes his butler for interfering with the servants' wage demands, then visits Mrs. DeMille to plan a dinner and later thrashes a newspaper columnist who wrote about him.

VIII: The Forelock of Time

Lies in bed brooding over jealousy of the Duke of Beauchamp and the financial cost of courting Barbara Drew; sends a telegram to Swearengen Jones asking permission to marry and transfer his property.

IX: Love and a Prizefight

Places bets on a prizefight and confesses his love to Barbara Drew.

X: Napoleon of Finance

Engaged to Barbara Drew but distracted by the challenge of spending $16,000 a day; devises a risky stock market scheme to prove his business acumen.

XI: Coals of Fire

Struggles with the moral and financial consequences of his stock market success; tries to lose money through a car crash and selling puppies; quarrels with Barbara over her attention to Rodney Grimes.

Christmas Despair

Monty shows compassion by helping Bill, the thief, and later confides in Mrs. Dan and Peggy about his social fatigue and heartbreak over Barbara.

A Friend in Need

In despair after losing $100,000 in a bank failure, he heroically saves the Bank of Manhattan Island by depositing more money, on condition that Barbara never knows.

XIV: Mrs. DeMille Entertains

Attends Mrs. DeMille's dinner despite the rift with Barbara; attempts reconciliation but is rebuffed.

XV: The Cut Direct

Struggles with health and the burden of his secret; undergoes appendectomy and convalesces at Mrs. Gray's.

XVI: In the Sunny South

Convalescing in St. Augustine, on a strict diet, and brooding over his estrangement from Barbara Drew.

XVII: The New Tenderfoot

Returns to New York after illness, resumes extravagant spending, feels heartsick and mocked at his ball, and grub-stakes Nopper Harrison for a gold prospecting venture.

XVIII: The Prodigal at Sea

Monty reviews his finances, plans his yachting cruise, meets Colonel Drew, and departs on the Flitter with his friends.

XIX: One Hero and Another

Receives a cable from Jones about free silver; hosts a lavish dinner at Gibraltar; rescues a sailor who fell overboard, showing his heroic side.

Le Roi s’amuse

Arranges a private carnival on the Riviera, spends extravagantly, rescues Peggy at the carnival, and gambles at Monte Carlo, winning $40,000 against his wishes.

Fairyland

Desperate to spend his remaining fortune, he orchestrates the acquisition of a fairy-tale villa on Lake Como and confronts Peggy about her avoidance.

Prince and Peasants

Plans a coaching party in Italy, orders automobiles from Paris, hires La Scala for a private performance, and later arranges a public performance for the peasants. Receives a cablegram from Jones.

An Offer of Marriage

Hosts the party on the Flitter, treats the sheik's proposal as a joke, and encourages the spectacle.

The Sheik's Strategy

Protects Peggy from the sheik, leads the rescue effort, and offers a reward for her safe return.

The Rescue of Peggy

Tormented by love for Peggy and financial worries; heroically rescues Peggy from abduction.

XXVI: Mutiny

Announces the North Cape extension, feels depressed by opposition, and ultimately decides to continue alone despite the mutiny.

XXVII: A Fair Traitor

Imprisoned in his stateroom by his guests; remains calm and reads during the mutiny.

XXVIII: A Catastrophe

Freed by Peggy, he faces the mutineers and later grapples with the yacht's damage and the looming inheritance deadline.

The Prodigal's Return

Returns to New York nearly penniless, haggard and despairing, but determined to complete the spending challenge.

XXX: The Promise of Thrift

Has spent the entire million and is now nearly penniless; proposes to Peggy and plans to marry her on September 23rd.

XXXI: How the Million Disappeared

Prepares his final report of expenditures, arranges marriage to Peggy, and presents the report to his lawyers.

The Night Before

Penniless and anxious, he spends his last night before the deadline with Peggy, only to receive devastating news of Jones's disappearance.

The Flight of Jones

Devastated by the news of Jones's disappearance but resolves to be strong and marry Peggy.

The Last Word

Marries Peggy, receives the letter from Swearengen Jones, and learns he has inherited the full fortune.