Yancy emerges from a blackjack club with $50, and Pahoo gives him a message from John requesting his presence. As Yancy walks down the street, Jody mistakenly tries to rob him. Pahoo puts a knife to Jody's throat, and Yancy points out that he didn't have much money anyway. When he arrives at John's office, John shows him a batch of counterfeit money and explains that they've traced it to the French Quarter. He wants Yancy to find out where it's coming from and who is passing it. Yancy says that he'll start at the Sazerac and gets John to pay for his dinner there. The administrator warns that the counterfeiting could ruin New Orleans' economy, and asks for a return on his "investment."
At the Sazerac, Lonesome Jackson of Virginia City gives Willy money for his drinks, and Willy realizes that it's a $500 bill. Jackson gives him $1000 instead and tells him to keep the change. Willy calls Miss Mandarin over and Jackson introduces himself. Mandarin advises him not to flash his money around, but Jackson isn'timpressed and buys drinks for everyone on the house. When Mandarin says that the Sazerac doesn't permit customers to treat and offers to buy him a drink.
Later, Yancy and Pahoo arrive just as Jackson leaves. Mandarin tells Yancy that Fortune is flashing money and asks Yancy to protect him. Yancy agrees and heads out, and finds Jody holding up Jackson. Jackson refuses to hand over the money, and Yancy arrives. Jody tells Yancy to put his hands up as well, and Jackson says that he's heard of Yancy's reputation. Yancy tells Jody that Jackson is a friend of his, but Jody isn't impressed. When Yancy says that Pahoo is right behind Jody, Jody looks around nervously and figures that it's a trick... and Pahoo knocks him out. Jackson thanks Pahoo for his help, and offers to buy Yancy drinks at the Sazerac.
The men return to the restaurant and Jackson tells Mandarin what happened. He says that has $130,000, and says that he wants people to know that he's a man of means. Jackson is there to find a wife, and has sold his claim to come to New Orleans. He plans to find a woman who will marry him for his money and to rough it for him. Jackson then offers $1,000 to any man who can shoot a silver dollar out of his hand without taking off any fingers. Mandarin points out that they have ladies gentleman, and Yancy accepts the wager. A guest, Stephen Quayne, interrupts and tells Yancy that as a member of the Board of Governors, he's obliged to point out that gunfire is illegal. Yancy assures him that there won't be any gunplay.
Jackson holds up the silver dollar, and Yancy has Pahoo knock the coin out of Jackson's hand with his knife. Yancy refuses the money, saying that Pahoo did it for laughs, and Jackson offers Yancy $5,000 to get him a wife. The gambler declines but offers to take it from him in poker in the back room. As they head back, Jackson invites Quayne to join them. Mandarin asks Yancy to protect Jackson's money, and they head to the back.
One of the women, Ruby, welcomes Jackson to the city. Yancy explains why Jackson is there, and Ruby admits that she's seen worse. When she hears that Jackson is willing to pay for a wife, Ruby is even more interested. Jackson gives her $1,000 to buy a trousseau, but asks her to deal for them first. Mandarin comes in and tells Yancy that there's someone to see him, and he excuses himself. It's John, who has heard of Jackson from Quayne. He explains that Quayne is in charge of the investigation into the counterfeiting. Quayne figures that Jackson is passing counterfeit money, and Yancy offers to wins some of it... if John gives him some more money. John hands over $600 and Quayne joins the poker game.
Ruby deals to the three men and Jackson wins regularly. Yancy goes out and finds John watching nervously. John reluctantly orders drink, and says that the government is staking Quayne. Three Secret Service men come in and John tells Yancy that he called them in because he thought Yancy was going to get some evidence. Quayne wins a pot of $30,000 and says that the money is counterfeit. He calls in the Secret Service men and has them arrest Jackson. Jackson insists that his money is good and reaches for his pocket. Quayne figures that Jackson is going for a gun and a fight breaks out. Yancy goes to Jackson's aid and both men are knocked out.
Later, Yancy and Jackson wake up at the calaboose and Yancy signs to Pahoo outside. Pahoo leaves, and Jackson realizes that he's been robbed. Ruby arrives with food, and Mandarin comes in to say that she bailed out Yancy. He's reluctant to leave Jackson, but Jackson is happy with the champagne and cold squab that ruby brought him.
Yancy goes to John's office, and John says that he couldn't interfere. He says that all of Jackson's money was counterfeit, and drawn on a Philadelphia bank. It's all part of the same bogus series that Southerners tried to flood the North with during the War. Yancy says that he sent Pahoo on an errand and will find something fascinating concerning the money.
Yancy takes John with him to a house. They break into a nearby house with Pahoo and find a money printing press. Yancy explains that it's Quayne's house, and that Quayne confiscated the money after the War and held onto the counterfeiting plates. Quayne used the fake money as the stake in the game, letting him use it to get his hands on some real money. He figures Jackson was innocent because he was giving his money away and didn't want change.
Yancy and John go to the Sazerac and Yancy gets the $1,000 that John "owes" him. They enter the poker room where Quayne is paying. Yancy sits down with them and asks for a thousand-dollar bill from Quayne. When Quayne claims that he doesn't have such a bill, Yancy accuses him of counterfeiting. The other players run off, and Yancy asks ruby for the $1,000 bill that Jackson gave her earlier. He reads off the serial number, comparing it to Quayne's money, and takes out the plates. Quayne runs for it, shooting, and Pahoo trips him into a waiter bring Yancy his supper.
Back at the calaboose, Jackson is finishing his supper with Ruby. Yancy is eager to eat something, and Jackson says that Ruby never spent her money. She figures that if she had then they wouldn't have had any to get back to Virginia City the way Jackson was throwing it away. Jackson happy is to find a woman who likes him for himself, and Mandarin invites Yancy to have a midnight supper with her. He gladly accepts and they leave together.
Written by Gadfly on Jun 20, 2017