If he was betrayed into an error, he quickly retrieved it.

He could live upon nothing and consequently could travel anywhere in search of such things as he desired.

He could barely read and write, and could not spell, but he was daring and astute.

His untaught brain was that of a financier, his blood burned with the fever of but one desire--the desire to accumulate.

Money expressed to his nature, not expenditure, but investment in such small or large properties as could be resold at profit in the near or far future.