Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1911-11-02
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IzDURNlNG
qSDAYLIGHT
buick LONDON
AntAoy of The cal Of the Wiza,"
White Fang" Martin
Eden." etc.
Illustrations by Dearborn MelvilI
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CHAPTER VII.

NOL only naQ ne pSei 90 9oN'N' -
the Klondike along with him. the
world was interested in other things,
and the Alaskan adventure, Ike the
Spanish War, was an old story. He set,
tied down in St. Francis Hotel, was
interviewed By the cub-reporters on
the hotel-run, and received brief para.
graphs of notice for tWenty-four
hours.
Several months passed IN San Fran
cisco, during which time he studied
the game and its rules. and prepared
himself TO take hand.
firing OF being merely an onlooker
he ran up to Nevada, where the new
gold-mining boom was fairly started
'.just to try a flutter,' as he phrased
it to himself. The flutter on the To
nopah Stock Exchange lasted just ten
days, during which time his smash.
ing, wild-bull game played ducks and
brakes with the more stereotyped
gamblers, and at the end Of which
time. having gambled Floridel into
his fist, he let go for net profit OF
half a million. Whereupon, smacking
his lips, he departed for San Fran,
cisco and the st. Francis Hotel. 1t
tasted good, and his hunger for the
game became more acute.
And once more the papers sensa,
tionalized him. BURNING DAYLIGHT
was a big-letter headline again. In.
reviewers focked about him. Old
files of magazines and newspapers
We're searched through, and the TO-
mantle and historic Elan Harnish,
Advcnturer OF the Frost, King of the
Klondike, and Father Of the Sour
doughs, strobe upon the breakfast Ia
BE OF million homes along with the
toast and breakfast foods. Even be.
fore his elected time, he was forciblv
launched into the game. Financiers
and promoters, and all the f,otsam and
jetsam Of the sea OF speculation
surged upon the shores Of his eleven
millions. In self-defence he was com
PEELED to open offices. He dabbled in
little things at iirst-"stalling for
time" as he explained it to Holds
worthy. friend he had made at the
Alta-Pacifc Club. Daylight himself
was member OF the club, and Holds
worthy had proposed him. And it was
we'll that Daylight played closely at
first, for he was astounded by the
multitudes Of sharks" groundsharEs, !"
he called them-that tiocked about
him. He saw through their schemes
readily enough. and even marveled
that such numbers of them could find
sufficient prey to keep them going.
Their rascality and general dubious
ness was so transparent that he could
not understand how any one could be
taken in by them.
So it was that he resolved TO leave
the little men, the Holdsworthys
alone: and, while he met them in good
fellowship, he chummed with none,
and formed no deen friendships. He
did not dislike the little men, the men
Of the Alta-Pacitic, for instance. He
merely did not elect to choose them
for partners in the big game in which
he intended TO play What this big
game was. even he did not know. lie
was waiting to find it, And in the
meantime he played small hands. in.
vestiag in several aridlands reclama'
ton projects and keeping his eyes
open for the big chance when ii
should come along.
And then ne met John Dowsett. the
great John Dowsctt 1t was the first
big magnate Daylight had met face to
face, and he was pleased and charmed
There was such kindly humaDness
about the man, such q genial demo
craticness. that Daylight found it hard
to realize that this was the John Dow
sett. president OF string OF banks,
insurance manipulation. reputed ally OF
the lieutenants Of Standard Oh. and
known ally of the Guggenhammers
Nor did his looks belle his reputation
and his manner. Physically. he guar
anteed all that Daylight knew Of hia
Despite his sixty years and snow
white hair, his hand-sGake was firmly
hearty. and he showed no signs ci
decrepitude. walking With quick
snappy step. making al! movements
definitely and decisiyely.
II was not long afterwaTd that Day
light came on to New York. 4 letter
from John Dowsett had been the
caase-a simple little typewriter let
ter Of several lines. But Daylight
had thrilled as he read It. The bald
sentences seemed gorged with 1vs'
terry. "Our AIR. Eowison will cali up
on you At your hotel. 10 is to De
trusted. We Must not DE seen To-
gether. You will understand after we
have had cur talk" Daylight ccnne6
the words over and over. That was it.
The big game had srrivod, and it
looked as il be were being invited to
sit in and take hand. Surely. For no
other reason would one man go pere.ap.
to-iiy invite another man TO make q
journey across the continent.
They net-thanks TO "our" 1Ir.
Hovisou-up the Hudson, il : mag,
aifcect country home. Daylight. &C,
co.dins to instructions. arrived IN q
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