ry," said the second man, and laid down a straight with a single
gesture.

The straight was nine-high and there were no clubs in it. Malone felt
devoutly thankful for that.

The second man reached for the money but, under the popeyed gaze of
the dealer, the fifth man laid down another straight--this one ten
high. The nine was a club Malone felt the odds go down, right in his
own stomach.

And now the cowboy put down his cards. The King of diamonds. The King
of hearts. The Jack of diamonds. The Jack of spades. And--the Jack of
hearts.

Full house. "Well," said the cowboy, "I suppose that does it."

The Queen said: "Please. One moment."

The cowboy stopped halfway in his reach for the enormous pile of
chips. The Queen laid down her four clubs--Ace, King, Queen and ten--
and for the first time flipped over her fifth card.

It was the Jack of clubs.

"My God," the cowboy said, and it sounded like a prayer. "A royal
flush."

"Naturally," the Queen said. "What else?"

Her Majesty calmly scooped up the tremendous pile of chips. The
cowboy's hands fell away. Five mouths were open around the table.

Her Majesty stood up. She smiled sweetly at the men around the table.
"Thank you very much, gentlemen," she said. She handed the chips to
Malone, who took them in nerveless fingers. "Sir Kenneth," she said,
"I hereby appoint you temporary Chancellor of the Exchequer--at least
until Parliament convenes."

There was, Malone thought, at least thirty-five thousand dollars in
the pile. He could think of nothing to say.

So, instead of using up words, he went and cashed in the chips. For
once, he realized, the Government had made money on an investment. It
was probably the first time since 1775.

Malone thought vaguely that the government ought to make more
investments like the one he was cashing in. If it did, the National
Debt could be wiped out in a matter of days.

He brought the money back. Boyd and the Queen were waiting for him,
but Barbara was still in the ladies' lounge. "She's on the way out,"
the Queen informed him, and, sure enough, in a minute they saw the
figure approaching them. Malone smiled at her, and, tentatively, she
smiled back. They began the long march to the exit of the club, slowly
and regally, though not by choice.

The crowd, it seemed, wouldn't let them go. Malone never found out,
then or later, how the news of Her Majesty's winnings had gone through
the place so fast, but everyone seemed t