"After that," this strange glad-hander rambled on, "you must taste the unparalleled joys of Nirvana, the jewel among all the cities of the universe. You may bathe in scented waters; you may dine on the best foods and drink the finest wines. Later you will want to play games of chance or dally with the maiden or youth of your choice...." He paused to mop his brow.
"... and wake up tomorrow with a dark brown taste to find that your friend has stolen your money belt," Sadie crooned in Frank's ear. "Then, ho, for a concentration camp for a long term at hard labor if you dare make a complaint."
"Come one; come all!" Their host pranced away. The houris urged the Incors across the drawbridge in his wake.
"Do exactly as I do," whispered Sadie after they had progressed for several blocks up a flag-draped boulevard. "We've got to make our get-away."
"But aren't we...?" Despite himself, Frank was a bit carried away by the pomp and circumstance of the martial music and the gaily-dressed, cheering throngs which lined the way. "I never had a chance...."
"I do believe, Frank," the girl teased him, "that if you had made your pile when you first came to Wildoatia you'd be a Big Shot today. Well, you'll have no chance to taste the fleshpots and I'm the only houri you're going to have any traffic with tonight. Besides, we wouldn't stand a chance of escaping recognition in the police lineup at City Hall.... Now!"
She hurled herself into the crowd lining the street, sprinted for an alley with the patrolman at her heels. They plunged into darkness just as a burst of gunfire sent splinters flying about their heads.
