I agree to that, said Sean.

Cross my heart, said Duff.

Max opened the front of his coat and brought out a long envelope. I

think if I show you these first it will make it easier to explain my

proposition. Sean took the envelope from him. What are they, Max? The

latest statements from all four banks at which Mr Hradsky deals.

Matches, Sean, give us a light, laddie, said Duff eagerly. I have a

lantern with me, Max said and he squatted down to light it. Sean and

Duff squatted with him and laid the bank statements in the circle of

yellow light.

They examined them in silence until at Last Sean rocked back on his

heels and lit another cigar.

Well, I am glad I don't owe that much money Sean announced. Sean folded

up the sheets and put them back in the envelope. He slapped the

envelope into the palm of his free hand and started chuckling. Max

reached across, took it from him and placed it carefully back inside his

coat. All right, Max, spell it out for us said Sean. Max leaned

forward and blew out the lantern. What he had to say was easier said in

darkness. The large cash payment that Mr Hradsky had to make to you

gentlemen and the limitation of output from his diamond mines in terms

of the new cartel agreements in the diamond industry have forced him to

borrow heavily on all his banks. Max stopped and cleared his throat.

The extent of this borrowing you have seen. Of course, the banks

demanded security for the loans and Mr Hradsky has given them his entire

holding of C. R. C. shares. The banks have set a limit on the shares

of thirty-five shillings each. As you know C. R. C. s are currently

quoted at ninety shillings, which leaves a wide margin of safety.

However, if the shares were to suffer a setback and fall in price to

thirty-five shillings the banks would sell. They would share that Mr

Hradsky owns in dump every single C. R. C. s onto the market. _, Go

on, Max, said Duff. I'm beginning to like the sound of your voice. It

occurred to me that if Mr Hradsky were temporarily absent from

Johannesburg, say if he went on a trip to England to buy new machinery

or something of that it would be possible for you gentlemen to force the

price of C. R. C. s down to thirty-five shillings. Done correctly it

would only take three or four days to accomplish. You could sell short

and start rumours that the Leader Reef had pinched out at depth. Mr

Hradsky would not be here to defend his interests. as soon as C. R. C.

s hit thirty-five shillings the banks would off-load his shares. The

price would crash and you, with ready cash available, would be in a

position to buy up C. R. C.

shares at a fraction of their actual value. There is no reason why you

shouldn't gain control of the group and make a couple of million to

boot. There was another silence. It lasted a long time before Sean

asked, What do you get out of it, Max? Your cheque for one hundred

thousand pounds, Mr Courtney. Wages are going up, remarked Sean. I

thought the standard pay for this type of work was thirty pieces of

silver.

The rate, I believe, was set by a countryman of yours. . Shut up,

snapped Duff, then more pleasantly to Max, Mr Courtney likes his little

jokes. Tell me, Max, is that all you want, just the money? I'll be

frank with you, it doesn't ring true. You must be a moderately rich man

as it is Max stood up quickly and started towards the horses.

He hadn't reached them before he swung around. His face was in darkness

but his voice was naked as he screamed at them.

Do you think I don't know what they call me, "The Court jester",

"Hradsky's tongue", "Lick-arse". Do you think I like it? Do you think