The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1912-02-17
CHAPTER VII.

In no blaze OF glory did Burning
Daylight descend Upon San Francisco.
Not only had he been forgotten, but
the, Klondike along with him. The
world was Interested in other things.
and the Alaskan adventure, like the
Spanish War. was an old story. He set.
tled 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 flutter," as he phrased
1T 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 gamb,ed Floridel into
his fist. he let go FOR a ret profit OF
half 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.
tlonalized him. BURNING DAYLIGHT
was a big-letter headline again. In.
reviewers fiocked about him. Old
hles OF magazines and newspapers
were searched through. and the ro.
mantle and historic Elan Harnish.
Adventurer Of the Frost. King of the
Klondike, and Father Of the Sour
doughs, strobe upon the brea kfast ia.
Bile OF million homes along with the
toast and breakfast foods. Even be.
fore his elected time he was forci5Iv
launched into the game. Ffnanciers
and promoters, and all the fiotsam and
Jetsam OF the sea of speculation
surged upon the shores of his eleven
millions. In se!f-defence he was com.
PEELED to onen Offices. He dabtled in
little things at firSt-"stalling for
time" eS he e.y'eincd it TO Holds
worthy, friend he lad made at the
Alta-Pacific Club. Daylight himself
was a member Of the club, and Holds
worthy had proposed him. And II was
we'll that Daylight played closely at
nrst, Tor he was astounded by the
multitudes of "ground-sharks
ne called them-that focked about
him. He saw through their schemes
readily enough, and even marveIed
that such numbers of them could find
sufficient prey 10 keep them going
Their rasca!ity and general dubious
ness was so transparent that he could
not understand how any one could be
taken In by them.
80 1t 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 deep friendships. He
did not dislike the little men, the men
or the Alta-Pac!fic, 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. He
was waiting to find IT. And In the
meantime he played small hands. in
vesting In several arid-lands reclama-
tion projects and keeping his eyes
open for the h!g chance when It
should come along.
Ana then he met John Dowsett. the
great John DOwscjt. II was the first
big magnate Daylight had met face TO
'a"e. and he was pleased and charmed.
There was suCh a kindly humanpess
about the man, such a 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 Oil. and
known ally Of the Guggenhammers
Nor did his locks belle his reputation
and his manner. Physically. lie guar
antC"G all that Daylight knew of him
Despite his siXt" years and snow
white hair. his hand-shakc was frriIv
hearty, and he showed 10 signs of
d'creniude, walking with a quick.
snApry stem making all movements
definitely and dtcsively.
II was not long afterward that Day-
light came on 10 New York. A letter
from John UoWsett had been Tie
cause-a simple little typewritten let
tsr or several lines. f5ut Daylight