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the money in the morning； so that's our time limit。〃
With each moment； the whole affair became more fantastic…and more intriguing for Jason。 He looked at his watch。 There was still enough time to find out if Kerk was lying or not。
〃All right； we'll do it tonight；〃 he said。 〃Only I'll have to have one of those bills to verify。〃
Kerk stood up to go。 〃Take them all； I won't be seeing you again until after you've won。 I'll be at the Casino； of course； but don't recognize me。 It would be much better if they didn't know where your money was ing from or how much you had。〃
Then he was gone； after a bone…crushing handclasp that closed on Jason's hand like vise jaws。 Jason was alone with the money。 Fanning the bills out like a hand of cards； he stared at their sepia…and…gold faces； trying to get the reality through his head。 Twenty…seven million credits。 What was to stop him from just walking out the door with them and vanishing。 Nothing really； except his own sense of honor。
Kerk Pyrrus； the man with the same last name as the planet he came from； was the universe's biggest fool。 Or he knew just what he was doing。 From the way the interview had gone； the latter seemed the best bet。
〃He knows I would much rather gamble with the money than steal it；〃 he said wryly。
Slipping a small gun into his waistband holster and pocketing the money； he went out。
2
The robot teller at the bank just pinged with electronic shock when he presented one of the bills and flashed a panel that directed him to see Vice President Wain。 Wain was a smooth customer who bugged his eyes and lost some of his tan when he saw the sheaf of bills。
〃You…wish to deposit these with us？〃 he asked while his fingers unconsciously stroked them。
〃Not today；〃 Jason said。 〃They were paid to me as a debt。 Would you please check that they are authentic and change them。 I'd like five hundred thousand credit notes。〃
Both of his inner chest pockets were packed tight when he left the bank。 The bills were good and he felt like a walking mint。 This was the first time in his entire life that carrying a large sum of money made him unfortable。 Waving to a passing helicab； he went directly to the Casino where he knew he would be safe。 For awhile。
Cassylia Casino was the playspot of the nearby cluster of star systems。 It was the first rime Jason had seen it； though he knew its type well。 He had spent most of his adult life in casinos like this on other worlds。 The decor differed but they were always the same。 Gambling and socialities in public…and behind the scenes all the private vice you could afford。 Theoretically no…limit games； but that was true only up to a certain point。 When the house was really hurt； the honest games stopped being square and the big winner had to watch his step very carefully。 These were the odds Jason clinAlt had played against countless times before。 He was wary but not very concerned。
The dining room was almost empty and the majordomo quickly rushed to the side of the stranger in the richly cut clothes。 Jason was lean and dark and moved with a positive； self…assured manner。 More like the owner of inherited wealth than a professional gambler。 This appearance was important and he cultivated it。 The cuisine looked good and the cellar turned out to be wonderful。 He had a professional and enthusiastic talk with the wine steward while waiting for the soup； then settled down to enjoy his meal。
He ate leisurely and the large dining room was filled before he was through。 Watching the entertainment over a long cigar killed some more time。 When he finally went to the gaming roonls； they were filled and active。
Moving slowly around the room； he dropped a few thousand credits。 He scarcely noticed how he played； giving more attention to the feel of the games。 The play all seemed honest and none of the equipment was rigged。 That could be changed very quickly； he realized。 Usually it wasn't necessary； house percentage was enough to assure a profit。
Once he saw Kerk out of the corner of his eye； but he paid him no attention。 The ambassador was losing small sums steadily at seven…andsilver and seemed to be impatient。 Probably waiting for Jason to begin playing seriously。 He smiled and strolled on slowly。
Jason settled on the dice table as he usually did。 It was the surest way to make small winnings。 And if I feelit tonight； I can clean this casino out！ That was his secret； the power that won for him steadily…and every once in awhile enabled him to make a killing and move on quickly before the hired thugs came to get the money back。
The dice reached him and he threw an eight the hard way。 Betting was light and he didn't push himself； just kept away from the sevens。 He made the point and passed a natural。 Then he crapped out and the dice moved on。
Sitting there； making small automatic bets while the dice went around the table； he thought about the power。 Funny； after all the years of work； we still don't know much about psi。 They can train people a bit； and improve skills a bit…but that's all。
He was feeling strong tonight； he knew that the money in his pocket gave him the extra lift that sometimes helped him break through。 With his eyes half closed he picked up the dice…and let his mind gently caress the pattern of sunken dots。 Then they shot out of his hand and he stared at a seven。
It was there。
Stronger than he had felt it in years。 The stiff weight of the million credits had done it。 The world all around was sharp…cut and clear and the dice were pletely in his control。 He knew to the tenth credit how much the other players had in their wallets and was aware of the cards in the hands of the players behind him。
Slowly； carefully； he built up the stakes。
There was no effort to the dice； they rolled and sat up like trained dogs。 Jason took his time and concentrated on the psychology of the players and the stickman。 It took almost two hours to build his money on the table to seven hundred thousand credits。 Then he caught the
stickman signaling they had a heavy winner。 He waited until the hardeyed man strolled over to watch the game； then he breathed on the dice； bet all his table stakes…and blew it all with a single roll。 The houseman smiled happily； the stickman relaxed…and； out of the corner of his eye； Jason saw Kerk turning a dark purple。
Sweating； pale； his hand trembling ever so slightly； Jason opened the front of his jacket and pulled out one of the envelopes of new bills。 Breaking the seal with his finger； he dropped two of them on the table。
〃Could we have a no…limit game；〃 he asked。 〃I'd like to…win back some of my money。〃
The stickman had trouble controlling his smile now； he glanced across at the houseman who nodded a quick yes。 They had a sucker and they meant to clean him。 He had been playing from his wallet all evening； now he was cracking into a sealed envelope to try for what he had lost。 A thick envelope； too； and probably not his money。 Not that the house cared in the least。 To them money had no loyalties。 The play went on with the Casino in a very relaxed mood。
Which was just the way Jason wanted it。 He needed to get as deep into them as he could before someone realized they might be on the losing end。 The rough stuff would start and he wanted to put it off as long as possible。 It would be hard to win smoothly then…and his psi power might go as quickly as it had e。 That had happened before。
He was playing against the house now； the two other players were obvious shills； and a crowd had januned solidly around to watch。 After losing and winning a bit； he hit a streak of naturals and his pile of gold chips tottered higher and higher。 There was nearly a billion there； he estimated roughly。 The dice were still falling true； though he was soaked with sweat from the effort。 Betting the entire stack of chips； he reached for the dice。 The stickman reached faster and hooked them away。
〃House calls for new dice；〃 he said flatly。
Jason straightened up and wiped his hands； glad of the instant's relief。 This was the third time the house had changed dice to try and break his winning streak。 It was their privilege。 The hard…eyed Casino man opened his wallet as he had done before and drew out a pair at random。 Stripping off their plastic cover； he threw them the length of the table to Jason。 They came up a natural seven and Jason smiled。
When he scooped them up； the smile slowly faded。 The dice were transparent； finely made； evenly weighted on all sides…and crooked。
The pigment on the dots of five sides of each die was some heavy metal pound； probably lead。 The sixth side was a ferric pound。 They would roll true unless they hit a magnetic field…which meant
the entire surface of the table could be magnetized。 He could never have spotted the difference if he hadn't looked at the dice with his mind。 But what could he do about it？
Shaking them slowly； he glanced quickly around the table。 There was what he needed。 An ashtray with a magnet in its base to hold it to the metal edge of the table。 Jason stopped shaking the dice and looked at them quizzically； then reached over and grabbed the ashtray。 He dropped the base against his hand。
As he lifted the asht