The Savannah morning news., 1903-06-28
XIV.
BILLY STARTS IN ON HIS FIFTY
THOUSAND.


Billy was gone almost a month
During that interim Lafond had abb
solutely nothing to do but wait, for his
affairs both domestic and foreign, were
doing we'll.
"A fool for luck. fool for luck"
he got into the habit of saying to
himself. but with somewhat of a con-
gratulatory ring to it, as though he
were a little inclined to attribute for
tunes favors to that ladys apprecia-
ton of his shrewdness. If luck had
not favor him, he would have had to
accomplish the same results himself
1t was a labor-saving device. Never
theless, as time went on, the strong
underlying mysticism in his nature
came to make of this luck of his a
fetish of no small power. Lafond went
about in a continual state of elation.
Things were coming his way. Nothing
could stop him. They were foreordain-
ed All he had to do was to stay
awake so as to take advantage of the
circumstances which chance so nicely
arranged for him. He had such con-
fdence in the fortuitous moment that
he almost ceased to plan ahead. sure
that the crisis would bring its own
solution.
Fifty thousand dollars stood between
Billys credit and Billy's downfall La
fond had those fifty thousand dollars
but neither was it small; and to induce
another to spend fifty thousand in
few months, without any encouraging
return, might have seemed, to an or
binary man, project worthy of
careful foresight. Not So Lafond. "A
fool for luck" he repeated and await
ed Billy's temperance.
There was Molly's affair with Chey-
enne Harry, for instance. What could
be better? Lafond had known Morti-
mer by reputation for great many
years. He was acquainted with the de-
tails of the transaction of Mulberry
Gulch, and how he and a man named
Dutch Pete had swindled all Custer
City; he knew, too, of Harry's various
wild escapades in the early Indian
skirmishes-on both sides some men
said; of his wonderful fortitude in en-
during hardship, and his equally Won
derful periods of relaxation when back
again in the towns; and he knew, lest
of all from his point of view, Harry's
reputation as a man among women.
Since this Irritation had lasted so long,
to Lafond's mind it must already have
passed the limits. The natural Sc
quence would be followed out. In time
Cheyenne Harry would have a mistress
the more.
In other words without the slightest
trouble or encoura cement on his part,
the girl would be debauched Then.
through artfully colored vague hints,
he would let slip the real facts of her
breeding. He was student enough Of
character to know that she would gnaw
her heart out with a passionate re-
morse, the more intense because of
that very innate purity of instinct
which now made Harry's task a diff
hcult one. Lafond had absolutely
nothing 10 do but congratulate him
self. smoke his pipe. and spend long
hours with his friend the entomolo-
| gist.
After the first fiutter over the Fast
erners' visit had subsidized. the camp
settled back with wonderful celebrity
! into rs accustomed habits. Al arst IL
expected Billys temperance within
! few days. The return was postponed
10 the end Of the week The end ~
the week gave Copper Creek 10 UNI
| derstHnd that II would have 10 wait
"a short time longer Then came am
/ other postponement And 80 on. until
/ the little community had takeu up It's
usual prospecting. work o day Play
I ~ night existence, ana the return 81
/ Billy Waa looked upon nE an ineWfa-
be event but bazily in the future.
] not immiGent enough immediately 20
4 disturb the current N mems thoughts
Then 40 Al once nnig she among
tlsia. splendid, powerful. energetic, in