Old Hastings nodded. "That's part of Davy Hull's reform programme," said he. "And I'm in favor of it. The city government ought to make them people clean up."
"Victor Dorn wants that done, too—doesn't he?" said Jane.
"No," replied the old man sourly. "He says it's no use to clean up the slums unless you raise wages—and that then the slum people'd clean themselves up. The idea of giving those worthless trash more money to spend for beer and whisky and finery for their fool daughters. Why, they don't earn what we give 'em now."
Jane couldn't resist the temptation to say, "I guess the laziest of them earn more than Davy Hull or I."
"Because some gets more than they earn ain't a reason why others should." He grinned. "Maybe you and Davy ought to have less, but Victor Dorn and his riff-raff oughtn't to be pampered.... Do you want me to cut your allowance down?"
She was ready for him. "If you can get as satisfactory a housekeeper for less, you're a fool to overpay the one you have."
The old man was delighted. "I've been cheating you," said he. "I'll double your pay."
"You're doing it just in time to stop a strike," laughed the girl.
After a not unknown fashion she was most obedient to her father when his commands happened to coincide with her own inclinations.
Her ardor for an excursion into the slums and the tenements died almost with Victor Dorn's departure. Her father's reasons for forbidding her to go did not impress her as convincing, but she felt that she owed it to him to respect his wishes. Anyhow, what could she find out that she did not know already? Yes, Dorn and her father were right in the conclusion each reached by a different road. She would do well not to meddle where she could not possibly accomplish any good. She could question the servants and could get from them all the facts she needed for urging her father at least to cut down the hours of labor.