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Another coolie heaved his burden into the truck； stared at her； hawked； spat and plodded away again。 〃Up yours too；〃 Casey muttered and then parodied an awful hawk and a twenty…foot spit and they laughed with her。 The Chinese just stared。
〃Ian； what's this all about？ What're we here for？〃 Bartlett asked。
〃I thought you might like to see fifty tons of gold。〃
Casey gasped。 〃Those sacks're filled with gold？〃
〃Yes。 e along。〃 Dunross led the way down the dingy stairs into the gold vault。 The bank officials greeted him politely and the unarmed guards and loaders stared。 Both Americans felt disquieted under the stares。 But their disquiet was swamped by the gold。 Neat stacks of gold bars on the steel shelves that surrounded them … ten to a layer； each stack ten layers high。
〃Can I pick one up？〃 Casey asked。
〃Help yourself；〃 Dunross told them； watching them； trying to test the extent of their greed。 I'm gambling for high stakes； he thought again。 I have to know the measure of these two。
Casey had never touched so much gold in her life。 Nor had Bartlett。 Their fingers trembled。 She caressed one of the little bars； her eyes wide； before she lifted it。 〃It's so heavy for its size；〃 she muttered。
〃These're called smuggler bars because they're easy to hide and to transport；〃 Dunross said； choosing his words deliberately。 〃Smugglers wear a sort of canvas waistcoat with little pockets in it that hold the bars snugly。 They say a good courier can carry as much as eighty pounds a trip … that's almost 1；300 ounces。 Of course they have to be fit and well trained。〃
Bartlett was hefting two in each hand； fascinated by them。 〃How many make up eighty pounds？〃
〃About two hundred； give or take a little。〃
Casey looked at him； her hazel eyes bigger than usual。 〃Are these yours； tai…pan？〃
〃Good God； no！ They belong to a Macao pany。 They're shifting it from here to the Victoria Bank。 Americans or English aren't allowed by law to own even one of these。 But I thought you might be interested because it's not often you see fifty tons all in one place。〃
〃I never realized what real money was like before；〃 Casey said。 〃Now I can understand why my dad's and uncle's eyes used to light up when they talked about gold。〃
Dunross was watching her。 He could see no greed in her。 Just wonder。
〃Do banks make many shipments like this？〃 Bartlett asked； his voice throaty。
〃Yes； all the time；〃 Dunross said and he wondered if Bartlett had taken the bait and was considering a Mafioso…style hijack with his friend Banastasio。 〃We've a very large shipment ing in in about three weeks；〃 he said； increasing the lure。
〃What's fifty tons worth？〃 Bartlett asked。
Dunross smiled to himself remembering Zeppelin Tung with his exactitude of figures。 As if it mattered！ 〃63 million dollars legally； give or take a few thousand。〃
〃And you're moving it just with a bunch of old men； two trucks that're not even armored and no guards？〃
〃Of course。 That's no problem in Hong Kong； which's one of the reasons our police are so sensitive about guns here。 If they've the only guns in the Colony； well； what can the crooks and nasties do except curse？〃
〃But where're the police？ I didn't see but one and he wasn't armed。〃
〃Oh； they're around； I suppose；〃 Dunross said； deliberately underplaying it。
Casey peered at the gold bar； enjoying the touch of the metal。 〃It feels so cool and so permanent。 Tai…pan； if it's 63 million legal； what's it worth on the black market？〃
Dunross noticed tiny beads of perspiration now on her upper lip。 〃However much someone's prepared to pay。 At the moment； I hear the best market's India。 They'd pay about 80 to 90 an ounce； U。S。； delivered into India。〃
Bartlett smiled crookedly and reluctantly put his four bars back onto their pile。 〃That's a lot of profit。〃
They watched in silence as another canvas bag was sealed； the bars checked and rechecked by both clerks。 Again the two loaders lifted the sack onto a bent back and the man plodded out。
〃What're those？〃 Casey asked； pointing to some much bigger bars that were in another part of the vault。
〃They're the regulation four…hundred…ounce bars；〃 Dunross said。 〃They weigh around twenty…five pounds apiece。〃 The bar was stamped with a hammer and sickle and 99；999。 〃This's Russian。 It's 99。99 percent pure。 South African gold is usually 99。98 percent pure so the Russian's sought after。 Of course both're easy to buy in the London gold market。〃 He let them look awhile longer； then said； 〃Shall we go now？〃
On the street there was still only one policeman and the sloppy； unarmed bank guards； the two truck drivers smoking in their cabins。 Traffic eased past from time to time。 A few pedestrians。
Dunross was glad to get out of the close confinement of the vault。 He had hated cellars and dungeons ever since his father had locked him in a cupboard when he was very small； for a crime he could not now remember。 But he remembered old Ah Tat； his amah； rescuing him and standing up for him … him staring up at his father； trying to hold back the terror tears that would not be held back。
〃It's good to be out in the air again；〃 Casey said。 She used a tissue。 Inexorably her eyes were dragged to the sacks in the nearly full truck。 〃That's real money；〃 she muttered； almost to herself。 A small shudder wracked her and Dunross knew at once that he had found her jugular。
〃I could use a bottle of beer；〃 Bartlett said。 〃So much money makes me thirsty。〃
〃I could use a Scotch and soda！〃 she said； and the spell was broken。
〃We'll stroll over to the Victoria and see the delivery begin； then we'll eat … 〃 Dunross stopped。 He saw the two men chatting near the trucks； partially in shadow。 He stiffened slightly。
The two men saw him。 Martin Haply of the China Guardian and Peter Marlowe。
〃Oh； hello； tai…pan；〃 young Martin Haply said； ing up to him with his confident grin。 〃I didn't expect to see you here。 Evening； Miss Casey； Mr。 Bartlett。 Tai…pan； would you care to ment on the Ho…Pak matter？〃
〃What Ho…Pak matter？〃
〃The run on the bank； sir。〃
〃I didn't know there was one。〃
〃Did you happen to read my column about the various branches and the rumo… 〃
〃My dear Haply；〃 Dunross said with his easy charm； 〃you know I don't seek interviews or give them lightly 。。。 and never on street corners。〃
〃Yes sir。〃 Haply nodded at the sacks。 〃Transferring all this gold out's kinda rough for the Ho…Pak； isn't it？ That'll put the kiss of death on the bank when all this leaks。〃
Dunross sighed。 〃Forget the Ho…Pak； Mr。 Haply。 Can I have a word in private？〃 He took the young man's elbow and guided him away with velvet firmness。 When they were alone； half covered by one of the trucks； he let go of the arm。 His voice dropped。 Involuntarily； Haply flinched and moved back half a pace。 〃Since you are going out with my daughter； I just want you to know that I'm very fond of her and among gentlemen there are certain rules。 I'm presuming you're a gentleman。 If you're not； God help you。 You'll answer to me personally； immediately and without mercy。〃 Dunross turned and went back to the others； full of sudden bonhomie。 〃Evening； Marlowe； how're things？〃
〃Fine； thank you； tai…pan。〃 The t