Regret like a cold, November wind, swept through all his thoughts and memories, and there seemed nothing before him but a chill winter of blight and failure that would have no spring.
But he was not left to indulge his miserable mood very long, for his mousing landlord--having finally learned who Haldane was, and all the unfavorable facts and comments with which the press had abounded--now concluded that he could pounce upon him in such a way that something would be left in his claws before the victim could escape.
That very morning Haldane had paid for his board to date, but had thoughtlessly neglected to have a witness or take a receipt. The grizzled grimalkin who kept the den, and thrived as much by his small filchings as from his small profits, had purred to himself, "Very goot, very goot," on learning that Haldane's word would not be worth much with the public or in court; and no yellow-eyed cat ever waited and watched for his prey with a quieter and cooler deliberation than did Weitzel Shrumpf, the host of the dingy little hotel.
After Haldane appeared he delayed until a few cronies whom he could depend upon had dropped in, and then, in an off-hand way, stepped up to the despondent youth, and said: "I zay, mister, you been here zwei week; I want you bay me now."
"What do you mean?" asked Haldane, looking up with an uncomprehending stare.
"Dis is vot I mean; you buts me off long nuff. I vants zwei weeks' bort."
"I paid you for everything up to this morning, and I have had nothing since."
"O, you have baid me--strange I did not know. Vill you bays now ven I does know?"
"I tell you I have paid you!" said Haldane, starting up.
"Vel, vell, show me der receipt, an I says not von vort against him."
"You did not give me a receipt."
"No, I thinks not--not my vay to give him till I gits de moneys."
"You are an unmitigated scoundrel. I won't pay you another cent."
"Lock dat door, Carl," said the landlord, coolly, to one of his satellites. "Now, Mister Haldane, you bays, or you goes to jail. You has been dare vonce, and I'll but you dare dis night if you no bays me."
"Gentlemen, I appeal to you to prevent this downright villany," cried Haldane.
"I sees no villany," said one of the lookers-on, stolidly. "You shows your receipt, and he no touch you."
"I neglected to take a receipt. I did not know I was dealing with a thief."
"Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the landlord; "he tinks I vas honest like himself, who vas jus' out of jail!"