"I own that I am not satisfied with the former," continued Lopez, "and that I go in for the fortune." As he spoke he tore the bill into three or four bits, apparently without thinking of it, and let the fragments fall upon the floor.

It was as though a mountain had been taken off Sexty's bosom.

He felt almost inclined to send out for a bottle of champagne on the moment, and the arguments of his friend rang in his ears with quite a different sound.

The allurements of a steady income paled before his eyes, and he too began to tell himself, as he had often told himself before, that if he would only keep his eyes open and his heart high there was no reason why he too should not become a city millionaire.

But on that occasion Lopez left him soon, without saying very much about his favourite speculation.
In a few days, however, the same matter was brought before Sexty's eyes from another direction.