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't be made without it。 There's very little of it in the world； only a few thousand tons are produced every year； mostly as a by…product of the Nigerian tin mines。 Drax must have looked at the Jet Age and somehow put his finger on its main scarcity。 He must have got hold of about ￡10；000 from somewhere because the Express says that in 1946 he'd bought three tons of Columbite； which cost him around ￡3000 a ton。 He got a ￡5000 premium on this lot from an American aircraft firm who wanted it in a hurry。 Then he started buying futures in the stuff； six months； nine months； a year forward。 In three years he'd made a corner。 Anyone who wanted Columbite went to Drax Metals for it。 All this time he'd been playing about with futures in other small modities…Shellac； Sisal； Black Pepper…anything where you could build up a big position on margin。 Of course he gambled on a rising modity market but he had the guts to keep his foot right down on the pedal even when the pace got hot as hell。 And whenever he took a profit he ploughed the money back again。 For instance； he was one of the first men to buy up used ore…dumps in South Africa。 Now they're being re…mined for their uranium content。 Another fortune there。〃
M's quiet eyes were fixed on Bond。 He puffed at his pipe； listening。
〃Of course；〃 continued Bond； lost in his story； 〃all this made the City wonder what the hell was going on。 The modity brokers kept on ing across the name of Drax。 Whatever they wanted Drax had got it and was holding out for a much higher price than they were prepared to pay。 He operated from Tangier…free port； no taxes； no currency restrictions。 By 1950 he was a multi…millionaire。 Then he came back to England and started spending it。 He simply threw it about。 Best houses； best cars； best women。 Boxes at the Opera； at Goodwood。 Prize…winning Jersey herds。 Prize…winning carnations。 Prize…winning…two…year…olds。 Two yachts； money for the Walker Cup team； ￡100；000 for the Flood Disaster Fund； Coronation Ball for Nurses at the Albert Hall…there wasn't a week when he wasn't hitting the headlines with some splash or other。 And all the time he went on getting richer and the people simply loved it。 It was the Arabian Nights。 It lit up their lives。 If a wounded soldier from Liverpool could get there in five years； why shouldn't they or their sons？ It sounded almost as easy as winning a gigantic football pool。
〃And then came his astonishing letter to the Queen： 〃Your Majesty； may I have the temerity。。。' and the typical genius of the single banner…line across the Express next day ： TEMERITY DRAX； and the story of how he had given to Britain his entire holding in Columbite to build a super atomic rocket with a range that would cover nearly every capital in Europe…the immediate answer to anyone who tried to atom…bomb London。 ￡ 10；000；000 he was going to put up out of his own pocket； and he had the design of the thing and was prepared to find the staff to build it。
〃And then there were months of delay and everyone got impatient。 Questions in the House。 The Opposition nearly forced a vote of Confidence。 And then the announcement by the Prime Minister that the design had been approved by the Woomera Range experts of the Ministry of Supply； and that the Queen had been graciously pleased to accept the gift on behalf of the people of Britain and had conferred a knighthood on the donor。〃
Bond paused； almost carried away by the story of this extraordinary man。
〃Yes；〃 said M。 〃Peace in Our Time…This Time。 I remember the headline。 A year ago。 And now the rocket's nearly ready。 'The Moonraker〃。 And from all I hear it really should do what he says。 It's very odd。〃 He relapsed into silence； gazing out of the window。
He turned back and faced Bond across the desk。
〃That's about it；〃 he said slowly。 〃I don't know much more than you do。 A wonderful story。 Extraordinary man。〃 He paused； reflecting。 〃There's only one thing。。。〃 M。 tapped the stem of his pipe against his teeth。
〃What's that； sir？〃 asked Bond。
M。 seemed to make up his mind。 He looked mildly across at Bond。
〃Sir Hugo Drax cheats at cards。〃
CHAPTER III
'BELLY STRIPPERS'； ETC。
〃CHEATS AT cards？〃
M。 frowned。 〃That's what I said；〃 he mented drily。 〃It doesn't seem to you odd that a multi…millionaire should cheat at cards？〃
Bond grinned apologetically。 〃Not as odd as all that； sir；〃 he said。 〃I've known very rich people cheat themselves at Patience。 But it just didn't fit in with my picture of Drax。 Bit of an anti…climax。〃
〃That's the point；〃 said M。 〃Why does he do it？ And don't forget that cheating at cards can still smash a man。 In so…called Society； it's about the only crime that can still finish you； whoever you are。 Drax does it so well that nobody's caught him yet。 As a matter of fact I doubt if anyone has begun to suspect him except Basildon。 He's the Chairman of Blades。 He came to me。 He's got a vague idea I've got some thing to do with Intelligence and I've given him a hand over one or two little troubles in the past。 Asked my advice。 Said he didn't want a fuss at the club； of course； but above all he wants to save Drax from making a fool of himself。 He admires him as much as we all do and he's terrified of an incident。 You couldn't stop a scandal like that getting out。 A lot of MPs are members and it would soon get talked about in the Lobby。 Then the gossip…writers would get hold of it。 Drax would have to resign from Blades and the next thing there'd be a libel action brought in his defence by one of his friends。 Tranby Croft all over again。 At least； that's how Basildon's mind is working and I must say I can see it that way too。 Anyway；〃 said M。 with finality； 〃I've agreed to help and〃； he looked levelly at Bond； 〃that's where you e in。 You're the best card…player in the Service； or；〃 he smiled ironically； 〃you should be after the casino jobs you've been on； and I remembered that we'd spent quite a lot of money putting you through a course in card…sharping before you went after those Roumanians in Monte Carlo before the war。〃
Bond smiled grimly。 〃Steffi Esposito；〃 he said softly。 〃That was the chap。 American。 Made me work ten hours a day for a week learning a thing called the Riffle Stack and how to deal Seconds and Bottoms and Middles。 I wrote a long report about it at the time。 Must be buried in Records。 He knew every trick in the game。 How to wax the aces so that the pack will break at them； Edge Work and Line Work with a razor on the backs of the high cards； Trimming； Arm Pressure Holdouts…mechanical gadgets up your sleeve that feed you cards。 Belly Strippers…trimming a whole pack less than a millimetre down both sides； but leaving a slight belly on the cards you're interested in…the aces； for instance。 Shiners； tiny mirrors built into rings； or fitted into the bottom of a pipe…bowl。 Actually；〃 Bond admitted； 〃it was his tip about Luminous Readers that helped me on that Monte Carlo job。 A croupier was using an invisible ink the team could pick out with special glasses。 But Steffi was a wonderful chap。 Scotland Yard found him for us。 He could shuffle the pack once and then cut the four aces out of it。 Absolute magic。〃
〃Sounds a bit too professional for our man；〃 mented M。 〃That sort of work needs hours of practice every day； or an acplice； and I can't believe he'd find that at Blades。 No； there's nothing sensational about his cheating and for all
I know it might be a fantastic run of luck。 It's odd。 He's not a particularly good player…he only plays bridge by the way…but quite often he brings off bids or doubles or finesses that are absolutely phenomenal…quite against the odds。 Or the conventions。 But they e off。 He's always a big winner and they play high at Blades。 He hasn't lost on a weekly settlement since he joined a year ago。 We've got two or three of the finest players in the world in the Club and none of them has ever had a record like that over twelve months。 It's getting talked about in a sort of joking way and I think Basil…don's right to do something about it。 What system do you suppose Drax has got？〃
Bond was longing for his lunch。 The Chief of Staff must have given him up half an hour ago。 He could have talked to M。 about cheating for hours； and M。； who never seemed to be interested in food or sleep； would have listened to everything and remembered it afterwards。 But Bond was hungry。
〃Assuming he's not a professional； sir； and can't doctor the cards in any way； there are only two answers。 He's either looking； or else he's got a system of signals with his partner。 Does he often play with the same man？〃
〃We always cut for partners after each rubber；〃 said M。 〃Unless there's a challenge。 And on guest nights； Mondays and Thursdays； you stick to your guest。 Drax nearly always brings a man called Meyer； his metal broker。 Nice chap。 Jew。 Very fine player。〃
〃I might be able to tell if I watched；〃 said Bond。
〃That's what I was going to say；〃 said M。 〃How about ing along tonight？ At any rate you'll get a good dinner。 Meet you there about six。 I'll take some money off you at piquet and we'll watch the bridge for a little。 After dinner we'll have a rubber or two with Drax and his friend。 They're always there on Monday。 All right？ Sure I'm not taki