He supported himself on his elbows.
"Twelve dollars a day--for those two rooms on the top of the moon?"
"Yes, sir; that's the rate, sir."
Adna was going rapidly. He chattered, "Ain't there no police in
this town at tall?"
"Yes, sir."
"Well, I've heard they're the wust robbers of all. We'll see
about this." He went back to his women folk and mumbled, "Come on
up-stairs."
They followed, Mrs. Thropp murmuring to Kedzie: "Looks like poppa
was goin' to be sick. I'm afraid he et too much of that rich food."
The elevator flashed them to their empyrean floor. Adna did not
speak till they were in their room and he had lowered himself feebly
into a chair. He spoke thickly:
"Do you know what that Judas Iscariot down there is doin' to us?
Chargin' us twelve dollars a day for these two cubby-holes--a day!
Twelve dollars a day! Eighty-four dollars a week! And that breakfast
was 'levum dollars and seventy-five cents! If I'd gave the waiter
the quarter I was goin' to, it would have made an even dozen dollars!
for breakfast! I don't suppose anybody would ever dast order a dinner
here. Why, they'd skin a millionaire and pick his bones in a week.
We'd better get out before they slap a mortgage on my house."
"Well, I just wouldn't pay it," said Mrs. Thropp. "I'd see the police
about such goings-on."
"The police!" groaned Thropp. "They're in cahoots with the burglars
here. This hull town is a den of thieves. I've always heard it, and
now I know it.
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