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plicity； to help Americans。 I still got Kamalian Ciranoush though。 As you know； Armenia is the southern part of Caucasus … just north of Iran and Turkey and south of Russian Georgia。 It used to be a free sovereign nation but now it's all absorbed by Soviet Russia or Turkey。 My grandmother was Georgian … there was lots of intermarriage in the old days。 My people were spread all over the Ottoman Empire； about two million； but the massacres； particularly in 1915 and '16 。。。〃 Casey shivered。 〃It was genocide really。 There're barely 500；000 of us left and now we're scattered throughout the world。 Armenians were traders； artists； painters and jewelry makers； writers； warriors too。 There were nearly 50；000 Armenians in the Turkish Army before they were disarmed； outcast and shot by the Turks during World War One … generals； officers and soldiers。 They were an elite minority and had been for centuries。〃
〃Is that why the Turks hated them？〃 deVille asked。
〃They were hardworking and clannish and very good traders and businessmen for sure … they controlled lots of business and trade。 My granddad said trading's in our blood。 But perhaps the main reason is that Armenians are Christian … they were the first Christian state in history under the Romans … and of course the Turks are Mohammedan。 The Turks conquered Armenia in the sixteenth century and there was always a border war going on between Christian Tsarist Russia and the 'Infidel' Turks。 Up to 1917 Tsarist Russia was our real protector。 。。。 The Ottoman Turks were always a strange people； very cruel； very strange。〃
〃Your family got out before the trouble？〃
〃No。 My grandparents were quite rich； and like a lot of people thought nothing could happen to them。 They escaped just ahead of the soldiers； took two sons and a daughter out the back door with just what they could grab in their dash for freedom。 The rest of the family never made it。 My grandfather bribed his way out of Istanbul onto a fishing boat that smuggled him and my grandmother to Cyprus where； somehow； they got visas to the States。 They had a little money and some jewelry … and lots of talent。 Granny's still alive 。。。 she can still haggle with the best of them。〃
〃Your grandfather was a trader？〃 Dunross asked。 〃Is that how you first got interested in business？〃
〃We certainly had it drummed into us as soon as we could think about being self…sufficient；〃 Casey said。 〃My granddad started an optical pany in Providence； making lenses and microscopes and an import…export pany dealing mostly in carpets and perfumes； with a little gold and precious stones trading on the side。 My dad designed and made jewelry。 He's dead now but he had a small store of his own in Providence； and his brother； my uncle Bghos； worked with Granddad。 Now； since Granddad died； my uncle runs the import…export pany。 It's small but stable。 We grew up； my sister and I； around haggling； negotiating and the problem of profit。 It was a great game and we were all equals。〃
〃Where 。。。 oh； more trifle； Casey？〃
〃No thanks； I'm fine。〃
〃Where did you take your business degree？〃
〃I suppose all over；〃 she said。 〃After I got out of high school； I put myself through a two…year business course at Katharine Gibbs in Providence： shorthand； typing； simple accounting； filing； plus a few business fundamentals。 But ever since I could count I worked nights and holidays and weekends with Granddad in his businesses。 I was taught to think and plan and put the plan into effect； so most of my training's been in the field。 Of course since I've gotten out of school I've kept up with specialized courses that I wanted to take … at night school mostly。〃 Casey laughed。 〃Last year I even took one at the Harvard Business School which went down like an H…bomb with some members of the faculty； though it's getting a little easier now for a woman。〃
〃How did you manage to bee hatchetman … hatchetlady to Par…Con Industries？〃 Dunross said。
〃Perspicacity；〃 she said and they laughed with her。
Bartlett said； 〃Casey's a devil for work； Ian。 Her speed reading's fantastic so she can cover more ground than two normal execs。 She's got a great nose for danger； she's not afraid of a decision； she's more of a deal maker than a deal breaker； and she doesn't blush easily。''
〃That's my best point；〃 Casey said。 〃Thanks； Linc。〃
〃But isn't it very hard on you； Casey？〃 Gavallan asked。 〃Don't you have to concede a hell of a lot as a woman to keep up？ It can't be easy for you to do a man's job。〃
〃I don't consider my job a man's job； Andrew；〃 she replied at once。 〃Women have just as good brains and work capacity as men。〃
There was an immediate hoot of friendly derision from Linbar and Gavallan and Dunross overrode them and said； 〃I think we'll table that one for later。 But again； Casey； how did you get where you are at Par…Con？〃
Shall I tell you the real story； Ian lookalike to Dirk Struan； the greatest pirate in Asia； or shall I tell you the one that's bee legend； she asked herself。
Then she heard Bartlett begin and she knew she could safely drift for she had heard his version a hundred times before and it was part true； part false and part what he wanted to believe had happened。 How many of your legends are true … Hag Struan and Dirk Struan and what's your real story and how did you bee tai…pan？ She sipped her port； enjoying the smooth sweetness； letting her mind wander。
There's something wrong here； she was thinking now。 I can feel it strongly。 Something's wrong with Dunross。
What？
〃I first met Casey in Los Angeles； California … about seven years ago；〃 Bartlett had begun。 〃I'd gotten a letter from a Casey Tcholok； president of Hed…Opticals of Providence； who wanted to discuss a merger。 At that time I was in construction all over the L。A。 area … residential； supermarkets； a couple of good…sized office buildings； industrial； shopping centers … you name it； I'd build it。 We had a turnover of 3。2 million and I'd just gone public … but I was still a million miles away from the Big Board。 I'd… 〃
〃You mean the New York Stock Exchange？〃
〃Yes。 Anyway； Casey es in bright as a new penny and says she wants me to merge with Hed…Opticals which she says grossed 277；600 last year； and then together； we'd go after Randolf Opticals； the granddaddy of them all … 53 million in sales； quoted on the Big Board； a huge slice of the lens market and lots of cash in the bank … and I said you're crazy but why Randolf？ She said because first she was a stockholder in Bartlett Constructions … she'd bought ten one…dollar shares … I'd capitalized at a million shares and sold 500；000 at par … and she figured it'd be dandy for Bartlett Construction to own Randolf； and second； 'because this son of a bitch George Toffer who runs Randolf Opticals is a liar； a cheat； a thief； and he's trying to put me out of business。' 〃
Bartlett grinned and paused for breath and Dunross broke in with a laugh。 〃This's true； Casey？〃
Casey came back quickly。 〃Oh yes； I said that George Toffer was a liar； a cheat； thief and son of a bitch。 He still is。〃 Casey smiled without humor。 〃And he was certainly trying to put me out of business。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Because I had told him to go … to drop dead。〃
〃Why'd yo