I'll will come to the point immediately, said Max.

Duff put his glass back on top of the cabinet and dropped his grin.

Sean sat down in one of the armchairs, his expression also serious; both

of them could guess what was coming. In the past, continued Max, we

have worked together on numerous occasions and we have both benefited

from it. The next logical step, of course, is to combine our strength,

pool our resources and go on together to new greatness. I take it that

you are proposing a merger? Precisely, Mr Courtney, a merger of these

two vast financial ventures. Sean leaned back in his chair and started

to whistle softly. Duff picked up his glass again and took a sip.

Well, gentlemen, what are your feelings on the subject? asked Max. Have

you got a proposal worked out, Max, something definite for us to think

about! Yes, Mr Courtney, I have. Max went to the stinkwood desk which

filled one corner of the room and picked up a sheaf of papers. He

carried it across to Sean. Sean scanned through it. You've done quite

a bit of work here, Max. It's going to take us a day or two to work out

exactly what you are offering. I appreciate that, Mr Courtney. Take as

long as you wish. We have worked for a month to draw up that scheme and

I hope our labours have not been in vain. I think you will find our

offer very generous.

Sean stood up.

We'll contact you again in the next few days, Max.

Shall we go, Duff ?

Duff finished his drink. Goodnight, Max, look after Norman. He's very

precious to us, you know. They went to their building on Eloff Street.

Sean let them in through one of the side doors, lit the lamps in his

office and Duff pulled up an extra chair to the desk.

By two o'clock the following morning they understood the essentials of

Hradsky's offer. Sean stood up and went to open one of the windows, for

the room was thick with cigar smoke. He came back and flopped onto the

couch, arranged a cushion behind his head and looked at Duff. Let's

hear what you've got to say Duff tapped his teeth with a pencil while he

arranged his words. Let's decide first if we want to join with him If

he makes it worth our while, we do! Sean answered. I agree with you,

but only if he makes it worth our while. Duff Laid back in his chair.

Now the next point.

Tell me, laddie, what is the first thing that strikes you about this

scheme of Norman's? We get nice-sounding titles and fat cash payments

and Hradsky gets control, Sean answered. You have laid your finger on

the heart of it, Norman wants control. More than money, Norman wants

control so that he can sit at the top of the pile, look down on everyone

else and say, "All right, you bastards, what if I do stutter? " Duff

stood up, he walked round the desk and stopped in front of Sean's couch.

Now for my next question. Do we give him control?

'If he pays our price, then we give him control, Sean answered. Duff

turned away and went across to the open window. You know I rather like

the feeling of being top man myself, he said thoughtfully. Listen,

Duff, we came here to make money. If we go in with Hradsky we'll make

more, Sean said. Laddie, we've got so much now that we could fill this

room waist deep in sovereigns. We've got more than we'll ever be able

to spend and I like being top man. Hradsky's more powerful than we are,

let's face up to that. He's got his diamond interests as well, so

you're not top man even now. If we join him you still won't be top man

but you'll be a damn sight richer Unassailable logic, Duff nodded. I

agree with you then. Hradsky gets control but he pays for it; we'll put

him through the wringer until he's dry. Sean swung his legs off the

couch. Agreed, now let's take this scheme of his by the throat, tear it

to pieces and build it up again to suit ourselves. Duff looked at his

watch. It's after two o'clock. We'll leave it now and start on it when

we're fresh in the morning. They had their lunch brought down to the

office the next day, and ate it at the desk. Johnson, who had been sent

up to the Stock Exchange with instructions to keep an eye on prices and

call them immediately anything out of the ordinary happened, reported

back after high change. It's been as quiet as a graveyard all day, sir,

there's all sorts of rumours flying about. Seems someone saw the lights

burning in this office at two o'clock this morning.

Then when you didn't come to the Exchange but sent me instead, well, I

can tell you, sir, there were a lot of questions asked. Johnson

hesitated, then his curiosity got the better of him. Can I help you at

all, sir? He started sidling across towards the desk. I think we can

manage on our own, Johnson. Shut the door as you go out, please. At

half-past seven they decided it was enough for one day and they went

back to the hotel. As they walked into the lobby Sean saw Trevor Heyns

disappear into the lounge and heard his voice. Here they are! Almost

immediately Trevor appeared again with his brother.

Hello, boys, Jock appeared surprised to see them. What are you doing

here? We live here, said Duff. Oh, yes, of course. Well, come and

have a drink with us. Jock smiled expansively. And then you can pump

us and find out what we've been doing all day, Duff suggested.

Jock looked embarrassed. I don't know what you mean, I just thought

we'd have a drink together, that's all. Thanks all the same, Jock,

we've had a hard day. I think we'll just go on up to bed, Duff said.

They were halfway across the lobby before Duff turned back to where the

two brothers were standing.

I'll tell you boys something, he said in a stage whisper.

This is really big, it's so big it takes a while for the mind to grasp

it. When you two realize that it's been right there under your noses

all the time, you're going to kick yourselves They left the Heyns

brothers in the lobby staring after them and went up the stairs.

That wasn't very kind, Sean laughed. They won't sleep for a week. When

neither Sean nor Duff put in an appearance at the Exchange the next

morning, the nimours surged round the members lounge and the prices

started running amok. Reliable information that Sean and Duff had

struck a rich new goldfield across the vaal sent the prices up like

rocketing snipe; then twenty minutes later the denial came in and

clipped fifteen shillings a share off the Courtney-Charleywood stock.

Johnson ran backwards and forwards between the office and the Exchange

all morning. By eleven he was so tired he could hardly talk. Don't

worry any more, Johnson, Sean told him.

Here's a sovereign, go down to the Grand National and buy yourself a

drink, you've had a hard morning. One of Jock. Heyns's men, who had

been detailed off to watch the Courtney-Charleywood offices, followed

Johnson down to the Grand National and heard him place his order with

the Barman. He raced back to the Exchange and reported to Jock. Their

head clerk has just gone and ordered himself a bottle of French

champagne, he panted. Good God! Jock nearly jumped out of his chair

and beside him Trevor signalled frantically for his clerk. Buy, he

whispered in the man's ear. Buy every scrap of their script you can lay

your hands on. Across the lounge Hradsky settled down a little further

in his chair; he clasped his hands contentedly over the front of his

stomach and he very nearly smiled.

By midnight Sean and Duff had completed their counter-proposal to

Hradsky's offer. How do you think Norman will react to it? asked Sean.

I hope his heart is strong enough to stand the shock, Duff grinned. The

only reason that his jaw won't hit the floor is that his great gut will

be in the way. Shall we go down to his hotel now and show him?

suggested Sean. Laddie, laddie. Duff shook his head sorrowfully. After

all the time I've spent on your education, and you still haven't

learned. What do we do then? We send for him, laddie, we make him come

to us. We play him on the home ground. How does that help? Sean

asked. It gives us an advantage immediately, it makes him remember that

he's the one doing the asking Hradsky came down to their office at ten

o'clock the next morning; he came in state driven behind a four-inhand

and attended by Max and two secretaries. Johnson met them at the front

door and ushered them into Sean's office. Norman, dear old Norman, I'm

delighted to see you, Duff greeted him and, fully aware of the fact that

Hradsky never smoked, Duff thrust a cheroot between his lips.

When everyone was seated Sean opened the meeting. Gentlemen, we have

spent some time examining your proposition and in the main we find it

just, fair and equitable. Hear, hear, Duff agreed politely. At the

outset I want to make it quite clear, Sean went on, that Mr Charleywood

and myself feel strongly that the union of our two ventures is

desirable, nay! essential.