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for chrissake！〃 He started jiggling the plunger up and down。 〃Hello！〃 Then he slammed the receiver onto its cradle； cursed for a moment； then prodded the inter button。 〃Miss Mills； I was cut off； please get him back quickly as you can。〃
〃Certainly；〃 the cool； very English voice said。 〃Mr。 Dunross's here。〃
Johnjohn glanced at his watch and whitened。 It was 9：33。 〃Oh Christ！ Hold 。。。 yes； hold the call。 I'll 。。。〃 Hurriedly he put the phone down； rushed to the door； posed himself and opened it with forced nonchalance。 〃My dear Ian； so sorry to keep you waiting。 How're things？〃
〃Fine。 And with you？〃
〃Marvelous！〃
〃Marvelous？ That's interesting。 There must be six or seven hundred impatient customers queuing up outside already and you're half an hour to opening time。 There're even a few outside Blacs。〃
〃More than a few 。。。〃 Johnjohn just caught himself in time。 〃Nothing to worry about； Ian。 Would you like coffee or shall we go straight up to Paul's office。〃
〃Paul's office。〃
〃Good。〃 Johnjohn led the way along the thickly carpeted corridor。 〃No； there's no problem at all； just a few superstitious Chinese … you know how they are； rumors and all that。 Rotten about the fire。 I hear Casey stripped and dived to the rescue。 Were you at the track this morning？ This rain's grand； isn't it？〃
Dunross's unease increased。 〃Yes。 I hear there're queues outside almost every bank in the Colony。 Except the Bank of China。〃
Johnjohn's laugh sounded hollow。 〃Our munist friends wouldn't take kindly to a run on them at all。 They'd send in the troops！〃
〃So the run's on？〃
〃On the Ho…Pak； yes。 On us？ No。 In any event we're nowhere near as extended as Richard Kwang。 I understand he really has made some very dangerous loans。 I'm afraid the Ching Prosperity's not in good shape either。 Still； Smiler Ching deserves to take a drubbing after all his fiddling over the years in such dubious enterprises。〃
〃Drugs？〃
〃I really couldn't say； Ian。 Not officially。 But the rumor's strong。〃
〃But you say the run won't spread to you？〃
〃Not really。 If it does 。。。 well I'm sure everything will be quite all right。〃 Johnjohn went on down the wide paneled corridor； everything rich； solid and safe。 He nodded at the elderly English secretary； went past her and opened the door marked PAUL HAVERGILL； DEPUTY CHAIRMAN。 The office was large； oak paneled； the desk huge and clear of papers。 The windows faced the square。
〃Ian； my dear fellow。〃 Havergill got up and extended his hand。 〃So sorry I couldn't see you yesterday； and the party last night was hardly the place for business； eh？ How're you feeling？〃
〃All right。 I think。 So far。 You？〃
〃I've got the trots slightly but Constance's fine； thank God。 Soon as we got home I gave us both a good dollop of good old Dr。 Colicos's Remedy。〃 It was an elixir invented during the Crimean War by Dr。 Colicos to cure stomach disorders when tens of thousands of British soldiers were dying of typhoid and cholera and dysentery。 The formula was still a guarded secret。
〃Terrific stuff！ Dr。 Tooley gave us some too。〃
〃Damnable about the others； what？ Toxe's wife； eh？〃
Johnjohn said gravely； 〃I heard they found her body under some pilings this morning。 If I hadn't had a pink ticket Mary and I'd've been there too。〃 A pink ticket meant that you had your wife's permission to be out in the evening without her； out playing cards with friends； or at the Club； or on the town with visiting guests or wherever … but with her benevolent permission。
〃Oh？〃 Havergill smiled。 〃Who was the lucky lady？〃
〃I was playing bridge with McBride at the Club。〃
Havergill laughed。 〃Well； discretion's the better part of valor and we have the reputation of the bank to think of。〃
Dunross felt the tension in the room between the two men。 He smiled politely； waiting。
〃What can I do for you； Ian？〃 Havergill asked。
〃I want an extra 100 million credit for thirty days。〃
There was a dead silence。 Both men stared at him。 Dunross thought he saw the flicker of a smile rush behind Havergill's eyes。 〃Impossible！〃 he heard him say。
〃Gornt's mounting an attack on us； that's clear to anyone。 You both know we're solid； safe and in good shape。 I need your open； massive backing； then he won't dare proceed and I won't actually need the money。 But I do need the mitment。 Now。〃
Another silence。 Johnjohn waited and watched。 Havergill lit a cigarette。 〃What's the situation with the Par…Con deal； Ian？〃
Dunross told them。 〃Tuesday we sign。〃
〃Can you trust the American？〃
〃We've made a deal。〃
Another silence。 Uneasily； Johnjohn broke it。 〃It's a very good deal； Ian。〃
〃Yes。 With your open backing； Gornt and Blacs will withdraw their attack。〃
〃But 100 million？〃 Havergill said。 〃That's beyond possibility。〃
〃I said I won't need the full amount。〃
〃That's surmise； my dear fellow。 We could bee involved in a very big power play against our wish。 I've heard rumors Quillan has outside financing； German backing。 We couldn't risk getting into a fight with a consortium of German banks。 You are already over the limit of your revolving credit。 And there's the 500；000 shares you bought today which have to be paid for on Monday。 Sorry no。〃
〃Put it to the board。〃 Dunross knew that he had enough votes to carry it over Havergill's opposition。
Another silence。 〃Very well。 I'll certainly do that … at the next board meeting。〃
〃No。 That's not for three weeks。 Please call an emergency meeting。〃
〃Sorry no。〃
〃Why？〃
〃I don't have to explain my reasons to you； Ian；〃 Havergill said crisply。 〃Struan's doesn't own or control this institution； though you do have a large interest in us； as we have in you； and you are our valued customer。 I'll be glad to put it up at the next board meeting。 Calling emergency meetings is within my control。 Solely。〃
〃I agree。 So is the granting of the credit。 You don't need a meeting。 You could do that now。〃
〃I will be glad to put the request to the board at the next meeting。 Was there anything else？〃
Dunross controlled his urge to wipe the barely concealed smugness off his enemy's face。 〃I need the credit to support my stock。 Now。〃
〃Of course； and Bruce and I really do understand that the Par…Con down payment will give you the financing to plete your ship transactions and make a partial Orlin payment。〃 Havergill puffed his cigarette。 〃By the way； I understand Orlin won't renew … you'll have to pay them off totally within thirty days as per the contract。〃
Dunross flushed。 〃Where did you hear that？〃
〃From the chairman； of course。 I called him last night to ask if the… 〃
〃You what？〃
〃Of course。 My dear chap；〃 Havergill said； now openly enjoying Dunross's and Johnjohn's shock。 〃We have every right to inquire。 After all； we're Struan's bankers and we need to know。 Our equity's also at risk if you are to fail； isn't it？〃
〃And you'll help that happen？〃
Havergill stubbed out his cigarette with vast enjoyment。 〃It's not to our interest for any big business to fail in the Colony； let alone the Noble House。 Oh dear no！ You needn't worry。 At the right time we'll step in and buy your shares。 We'll never allow the Noble House to fail。〃
〃When's the right time？〃
〃When the shar