Jacqueline's lips quivered. I saw her glance involuntarily toward the door behind which I was standing.
And suddenly the last phase of the problem became clear to me. Jacqueline thought I had robbed her.
I stepped from behind the door and faced Leroux. "I have that money," I said curtly.
I saw his face turn white. He staggered back, and then, with a bull's bellow, rushed at me, his heavy fists aloft. I think he could have beaten out my brains with them.
But he stopped short when he saw my automatic pistol pointing at his chest. And he saw in my face that I was ready to shoot to kill.
"You thief—you spy—you treacherous hound, I'll murder you!" he roared.
The dotard, who had been looking at me, came forward.
"No, no, I won't have him murdered, Simon," he protested, laying a trembling hand on Leroux's shoulder. "He has almost as good a roulette system as I have."