Free Brighter Buccaneer by Leslie Charteris

ordered in half a dozen cases of Bollinger, and invited the guests to help themselves. He had never worked so hard in his life before, but he saw the results of it when the club closed down at four in the morning and the weary staff counted over the takings. The boule table had had a skinner, and money had changed hands so fast in the chemin-de-fer parties that the management’s ten per cent commission had broken all previous records. Max Kemmler found himself with a comfortingly large wad of crumpled notes to put away. He slapped his croupiers boisterously on the back and opened the last bottle of champagne for them.
    “Same time again tomorrow, boys,” he said when he took his leave. “If there’s any more jack to come out of this racket, we’ll have it.”
    As a matter of fact, he had no intention of reappearing on the morrow, or on any subsequent day. The croupiers were due to collect their week’s salary the following evening, but that consideration did not influence him. His holiday venture had been even more remunerative than he had hoped, and he was going while the going was good.
    Back at the Savoy he added the wad of notes from his pocket to an even larger wad which came from a sealed envelope which he kept in the hotel safe, and slept with his booty under his pillow.
    During his stay in London he had made the acquaintance of a passport specialist. His passage was booked back to Montreal on the Empress of Britain, which sailed the next afternoon, and a brand-new Canadian passport established his identity as Max Harford, grain-dealer, of Calgary.
    He was finishing a sketchy breakfast in his dressing-gown the next morning, when his chief croupier called. Kemmler had a mind to send back a message that he was out, but thought better of it. The croupier would never have come to his hotel unless there was something urgent to tell him, and Max recalled what he had been told about the Saint with a twinge of vague uneasiness.
    “What’s the trouble, major?” he asked curtly, when the man was shown in.
    The other glanced around at the display of strapped and bulging luggage.
    “Are you going away, Mr. Kemmler?”
    “Just changing my address, that’s all,” said Kemmler bluffly.“This place is a little too near the high spots-there’s always half a dozen gumshoes snooping around looking for con-men and I don’t like it. It ain’t healthy. I’m moving over to a quiet little joint in Bloomsbury, where I don’t have to see so many policemen.”
    “I think you’re wise.” The croupier sat on the bed and brushed his hat nervously. “Mr. Kemmler-I thought I ought to come and see you at once. Something has happened.”
    Kemmler looked at his watch.
    “Something’s always happening in this busy world,” he said with a hearty obtuseness which did not quite carry conviction. “Let’s hear about it.”
    “Well, Mr. Kemmler-I don’t quite know how to tell you. It was after we closed down this morning-I was on my way home -“
    He broke off with a start as the telephone bell jangled insistently through the room. Kemmler grinned at him emptily, and picked up the receiver.
    “Is that you, Kemmler?” said the somnolent voice, in which a thin thread of excitement was perceptible. “Listen-I’m going to give you a shock, but whatever I say you must not give the slightest indication of what I’m talking about. Don’t jump, and don’t say anything except ‘Yes’ or ‘No.’ “
    “Yeah?”
    “This is Chief Inspector Teal speaking. Have you got a man with you now?”
    “Uh-huh.”
    “I thought so. That’s Simon Templar-the Saint. I just saw him go into the hotel. Never mind if you think you know him. That’s his favourite trick. We heard he was planning to hold you up, and we want to get him red-handed. Now what about that idea I mentioned yesterday?”
    Kemmler looked round inconspicuously. It was difficult to keep the incredulity out of his eyes. The appearance of his most trusted croupier failed to