Pat Arbuckle

Pat Arbuckle is the narrator of the story. Pat, the son of the local newspaper owner, grew up in Holt. Pat was also a classmate of Jack Burdette. Pat and Jack were fairly good friends. They even went to the same college together. However, the two men's lives take drastically different turns when Pat choses to stay in college and marries his college lover, while Jack finds himself expelled quickly and then in the Army. While Pat marries, settles down to a career and becomes a father, Jack continues his partying ways until he suddenly marries a woman he has known for a short time.

When Pat's daughter dies and his marriage falls apart, Pat becomes involved with Jack's deserted wife. Pat falls deeply in love with Jessie Burdette even though they are both still legally married to other people and have no future to speak of...