HERTZ AND HIS MONTE CARLO SYNDICATE.

I HAVE already said that Carl Hertz was a wonderfully astute business man. There was, however, one flaw in his character which might easily have proved his downfall. He was a born gambler.

Betting was to Hertz what a candle is to a moth. It was an obsession--one might almost say a mania. Without it, he would have lost all interest in life. And, although to my certain knowledge he lost many hundreds of pounds, he would never admit that he had fai led. "Of course I won," was his stock reply to all queries with regard to his gambling ventures.

On one occasion he discovered a "system" for beating the bank at Monte Carlo.

"You must come in on this, Will," he said. "It's an absolute cinch. I've roped in a few friends to form a syndicate, and we're going to Monte Carlo to make our fortunes. The system can't fail. It works like this?" And he went on to describe his idea. If the directors of the famous Casino could have heard him, they would have shaken him warmly by the hand.

"Thank you, Carl," I replied. "Your scheme sounds wonderful. In fact, it's too good to be true. I'm sure there's a catch in it somewhere. I've heard of these infallible schemes before, so count me out."

"You're missing the chance of a lifetime, Will."

"I don't mind. I shall be the first to congratulate you when you come back."

"Don't be an idiot. This thing's--"

"No thanks."

"Oh, all right. Just as you please."

Two months later Hertz was again in my office.

"No need to ask you if you won, I suppose, Carl?" I smiled.

"Oh, we won alright. But some of the others wanted to get back, and here I am."

I kept a discreet silence. But only the day previously, one of those others had told me that Carl had lost several thousand francs!