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enemy had almost died。 The Peak Road's no place to lose your brakes； he thought。
Pity the bastard didn't die。 That would have saved me lots of anguish。 Then he dismissed Gornt and rethought Four Finger Wu。
Between the old seaman's pidgin and his Haklo they could converse quite well。 Wu had told him everything he could。 Gornt's ment on the Ho…Pak； advising Wu to withdraw his money； was surprising。 And cause for concern。 That and Haply's article。
Does that bugger Gornt know something I don't？
He had gone to the bank。 〃Paul； what's going on？〃
〃About what？〃
〃The Ho…Pak。〃
〃Oh。 The run？ Very bad for our banking image； I must say。 Poor Richard！ We're fairly certain he's got all the reserves he needs to weather his storm but we don't know the extent of his mitments。 Of course I called him the moment I read Haply's ridiculous article。 I must tell you； Ian； I also called Christian Toxe and told him in no uncertain terms he should control his reporters and that he'd better cease and desist or else。〃
〃I was told there was a queue at Tsim Sha Tsui。〃
''Oh？ I hadn't heard that。 I'll check。 Even so； surely the Ching Prosperity and the Lo Fat banks will support him。 My God； he's built up the Ho…Pak into a major banking institution。 If he went broke God knows what'll happen。 We even had some withdrawals at Aberdeen ourselves。 No； Ian； let's hope it'll all blow over。 Talking about that； do you think we'll get some rain？ It feels dicey today； don't you think？ The news said there might be a storm ing through。 Do you think it'll rain？〃
〃I don't know。 Let's hope so。 But not on Saturday！〃
〃My God yes！ If the races were rained out that would be terrible。 We can't have that。 Oh； by the way； Ian； it was a lovely party last night。 I enjoyed meeting Bartlett and his girl friend。 How're your negotiations with Bartlett proceeding？〃
〃First class！ Listen； Paul 。。。〃
Dunross smiled to himself； remembering how he had dropped his voice even though in Havergill's office 。。。 Havergill's office which overlooked the whole of Central District was book…lined and very carefully soundproofed。 〃I've closed my deal。 It's two years initially。 We sign the papers within seven days。 They're putting up 20 million cash in each of the years； succeeding ones to be negotiated。〃
〃Congratulations； my dear fellow。 Heartiest congratulations！ And the down payment？〃
〃Seven。〃
〃That's marvelous！ That covers everything nicely。 It'll be marvelous to have the Toda specter away from the balance sheet … and with another million for Orlin； well； perhaps they'll give you more time； then at long last you can forget all the bad years and look forward to a very profitable future。〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Have you got your ships chartered yet？〃
〃No。 But I'll have charterers in time to service our loan。〃
〃I noticed your stock's jumped two points。〃
〃It's on the way now。 It's going to double； within thirty days。〃
〃Oh？ What makes you think so？〃
〃The boom。〃
〃Eh？〃
〃All the signs point that way； Paul。 Confidence's up。 Our Par…Con deal will lead the boom。 It's long overdue。〃
〃That would be marvelous！ When do you make the initial announcement about Par…Con？〃
〃Friday； after the market closes。〃
〃Excellent。 My thought entirely。 By Monday everyone will be on the bandwagon！〃
〃But let's keep everything in the family until then。〃
〃Of course。 Oh； did you hear Quillan almost killed himself last night？ It was just after your party。 His brakes failed on the Peak Road。〃
〃Yes I heard。 He should have killed himself … that would have sent Second Great pany's stock skyrocketing with happiness！〃
〃e now； Ian！ A boom eh？ You really think so？〃
〃Enough to want to buy heavily。 How about a million credit … to buy Struan's？〃
〃Personal … or for the House？〃
〃Personal。〃
〃We would hold the stock？〃
〃Of course。〃
〃And if the stock goes down？〃
〃It won't。〃
〃Say it does； Ian？〃
〃What do you suggest？〃
〃Well； it's all in the family so why don't we say if it goes two points below market at today's closing； we can sell and debit your account with the loss？〃
〃Three。 Struan's is going to double。〃
〃Yes。 Meanwhile； let's say two until you sign the Par…Con deal。 The House is rather a lot over on its revolving credit already。 Let's say two； eh？〃
〃All right。〃
I'm safe at two； Dunross thought again； reassuring himself。 I think。
Before he had left the bank he had gone by Johnjohn's office。 Bruce Johnjohn； second deputy chief manager and heir apparent to Havergill； was a stocky； gentle man with a hummingbird's vitality。 Dunross had given him the same news。 Johnjohn had been equally pleased。 But he had advised caution on projecting a boom and； contrary to Havergill； was greatly concerned with the Ho…Pak run。
〃I don't like it at all； Ian。 It's very smelly。〃
〃Yes。 What about Haply's article？〃
〃Oh； it's all nonsense。 We don't go in for those sort of shenanigans。 Blacs？ Equally foolish。 Why should we want to eliminate a major Chinese bank； even if we could。 The Ching Bank might be the culprit。 Perhaps。 Perhaps old Smiler Ching would … he and Richard have been rivals for years。 It could be a bination of half a dozen banks； Ching included。 It might even be that Richard's depositors are really scared。 I've heard all sorts of rumors for three months or so。 They're in deep with dozens of dubious property schemes。 Anyway； if he goes under it'll affect us all。 Be bloody careful； Ian！〃
〃I'll be glad when you're upstairs； Bruce。〃
〃Don't sell Paul short … he's very clever and he's been awfully good for Hong Kong and the bank。 But we're in for some hairy times in Asia； Ian。 I must say I think you're very wise to try to diversify into South America … it's a huge market and untapped by us。 Have you considered South Africa？〃
〃What about it？〃
〃Let's have lunch next week。 Wednesday？ Good。 I've an idea for you。〃
〃Oh？ What？〃
〃It'll wait； old chum。 You heard about Gornt？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Very unusual for a Rolls； what？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃He's very sure he can take Par…Con away from you。〃
〃He won't。〃
〃Have you seen Phillip today？〃
〃Phillip Chen？ No； why？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Bumped into him at the track。 He seemed 。。。 well； he looked awful and very distraught。 He's taking John's 。。。 he's taking the kidnapping very badly。〃
〃Wouldn't you？〃
〃Yes。 Yes I would。 But I didn't think he and his Number One Son were that close。〃
Dunross thought about Adryon and Glenna and his son Duncan who was fifteen and on holiday on a friend's sheep station in Australia。 What would I do if one of them were kidnapped？ What would I do if a mutilated ear came through the mails at me like that？
I'd go mad。
I'd go mad with rage。 I'd forget everything else and I'd hunt down the kidnappers and then； and then my vengeance would last a thousand years。 I'd 。。。
There was a knock on the door。 〃Yes？ Oh hello； Kathy；〃 he said； happy as always to see his younger sister。
〃Sorry to interrupt； Ian dear；〃 Kathy Gavallan said in a rush from the door to his office； 〃but Claudia said you had a few minutes before your next appointment。 Is it all right？〃
〃 'Course it's all right；〃 he said with a laugh； and put aside the memo he was working on。
〃O