"If you please," Her Majesty said.
The dealer shrugged and, apparently, commended his soul to a gambler's
God. He passed the pasteboards around the table with the air of one who
will have nothing more to do with the world.
Her Majesty picked up her hand.
[Illustration: "May I raise ... five thousand?"]
"The ante's ten, ma'am," the dealer said softly.
Without looking, Her Majesty removed a ten-dollar chip from the pile
before her and sent it spinning to the middle of the table.
The dealer opened his mouth, but said nothing. Malone, meanwhile, was
peering over the Queen's shoulder.
She held a pair of nines, a four, a three and a Jack.