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ai…pan's always laird of Avisyard … while he's tai…pan。 But； of course； all the families； particularly children of the various families； know it well。 Summer holidays 。。。 Christmas at Avisyard's a wonderful tradition。 Whole sheep and sides of beef； haggis at New Year； whiskey and huge roaring fires； the pipes sounding。 It's a bonnie place。 And a working farm； cattle； milk； butter … and not forgetting the Loch Vey distillery！ I wish I could spend more time there … my wife just left today to get things ready for the Christmas vacation。 Do you know that part of the world？〃
〃A wee bit。 Mostly I know the Highlands。 I know the Highlands better。 My family came from Inverness。〃
〃Ah； then you must visit us when we're in Ayr； Mr。 Kirk。 AMG says in his letter you're a geologist； one of the best in the world？〃
〃Oh。 Oh he's too kind … was too kind。 My； er； my speciality's marine。 Yes。 With particular emph… 〃 He stopped abruptly。
〃What's the matter？〃
〃Oh； er； nothing； nothing really； but do you think Frances will be all right？〃
〃Absolutely。 Would you like me to tell her about AMG？〃
〃No。 No I can do that later。 No； I 。。。 I； on second thought I think I'm going to pretend he's not dead； Mr。 Dunross。 You need not have told me； then I won't have to spoil her holiday。 Yes。 That's best； don't you think？〃 Kirk brightened a little。 〃Then we can discover the bad news when we get home。〃
〃Whatever you wish。 You were saying？ With particular emphasis on？〃
〃Oh yes 。。。 petrology； which is； of course； the broad study of rocks including their interpretation and description。 Within petrology my field has been narrowed down more recently to sedimentary rocks。 I've； er； I've been on a research project for the last few years as a consultant on Paleozoic sedimentaries； porous ones。 Yes。 The study concentrated on the eastern coastal shelf of Scotland。 AMG thought you might like to hear about it。〃
〃Of course。〃 Dunross curbed his impatience。 His eyes were looking at the package on his desk。 He wanted to open it and call Johnjohn and do a dozen other pressing things。 There was so much to do and he did not yet understand the AMG connection between the Noble House and Kirk。 〃It sounds very interesting；〃 he said。 〃What was the study for？〃
〃Eh？〃 Kirk stared at him； startled。 〃Hydrocarbons。〃 At Dunross's blank look he added hastily； 〃Hydrocarbons are only found in porous sedimentary rocks of the Paleozoic era。 Oil； Mr。 Dunross； crude oil。〃
〃Oh！ You were exploring for oil？〃
〃Oh no！ It was a research project to determine the possibility of hydrocarbons being present offshore。 Off Scotland。 I'm happy to say I think they'll be there abundantly。 Not close in but out in the North Sea。〃 The small man's pink face became pinker and he mopped his brow。 〃Yes。 Yes； I； think there'll be quite a number of good fields out there。〃 Dunross was perplexed； still not seeing the connection。 〃Well； I know a little about offshore drilling in the Middle East and the Texas Gulf but out in the North Sea？ Good God； Mr。 Kirk； that sea's the worst in the world； probably the most fickle in the world； almost always in storm with mountainous seas。 How could you drill there？ How could you make the rigs safe； how would you supply the rigs； how could you possibly get the oil in bulk ashore； even if you found it？ And if you got it ashore； my God； the cost'd be prohibitive。〃
〃Oh quite right； Mr。 Dunross；〃 Kirk agreed。 〃Everything you say's quite right； but then it's not my job to be mercial； just to find our elusive； supremely valuable hydrocarbons。〃 He added proudly； 〃This is the first time we've ever thought they could exist there。 Of course； it's still only a theory； my theory … you never know for certain until you drill … but part of my expertise's in seismic interpretation； that's the study of waves resulting from induced explosions； and my approach to the latest findings was a wee bitty unorthodox。 。。。〃
Dunross listened now with only the surface of his brain； still trying to puzzle out why AMG should consider this important。 He allowed Kirk to continue for a while then politely brought him back。 〃You've convinced me； Mr。 Kirk。 I congratulate you。 How long are you staying in Hong Kong？〃
〃Oh。 Oh just till Monday。 Then； er； then we're going to New Guinea。〃
Dunross concentrated； very concerned。 〃Where in New Guinea？〃
〃To a place called Sukanapura； on the north coast； that's in the new Indonesian part。 I've been 。。。〃 Kirk smiled。 〃Sorry； of course you'd know President Sukarno took over Dutch New Guinea in May。〃
〃Stolen might be another way of putting it。 If it hadn't been for more ill…advised U。S。 pressure； Dutch New Guinea'd still be Dutch and far better off； I think。 I don't believe it'd be a good idea at all for you and Mrs。 Kirk to go there for a while。 It's very dicey； the political situation's very unstable and President Sukarno's hostile。 The insurrection in Sarawak is Indonesian…sponsored and supported … he's very antagonistic to the West； to all Malaysia； and pro his Marxists。 Besides Sukanapura is a hot； rotten； spooky port with lots of disease on top of all the other troubles。〃
〃Oh you don't have to worry； I have a Scots constitution； and we're invited by the government。〃
〃My point is that； presently； there's very little government influence。〃
〃Ah； but there're some very interesting sedimentaries they want me to look at。 You don't have to worry； Mr。 Dunross； we're geologists； not political。 Everything's arranged … this was the whole purpose of our trip … no need to worry。 Well； I should be going。〃
〃There's 。。。 I'm having a small cocktail party on Saturday from 7：30 to 9：00 p。m。；〃 he said。 〃Perhaps you and your wife would like to e？ Then we can talk further about New Guinea。〃
〃Oh； oh that's awfully kind of you。 I； er； we'd love to。 Where wo… 〃
〃I'll send a car for you。 Now； perhaps you'd like to join Mrs。 Kirk … I won't mention AMG if you're sure that's what you want。〃
〃Oh！ Oh yes。 Poor Alan。 For a moment； discussing sedimentaries； I'd forgotten about him。 Curious； isn't it； how soon one can forget。〃
Dunross sent him off with another assistant and closed the door。 Carefully he broke the seals of AMG's package。 Inside there was an envelope and an inner package。 The envelope was addressed： 〃Ian Dunross； private and confidential。〃 Unlike the other letter； which was neatly handwritten； this was typed： 〃Dear Mr。 Dunross； This es in haste to you through my old friend Jamie。 I've just had some very disquieting news。 There is another very serious security leak somewhere in our system； British or American； and it's quite clear our adversaries are stepping up their clandestine attacks。 Some of this might even spill over onto me； even to you； hence my anxiety。 To you because it could be the existence of our highly classified series of papers has been discovered。 Should anything untoward happen to me please call 871…65…65 in Geneva。 Ask for Mrs。 Riko Gresserhoff。 To her； my name is Hans Gresserhoff。 Her real name is Riko Anjin。 She speaks German； Japanese and English … a little French … and if I'm owed any money please assign it to her。 There are certain papers she will give you； some for transmission。 Please deliver them personally when convenient。 As I said； it's rare to find someone to trust； I trust you。 You're the only one on earth who knows about her and her real name。 Remember； it is vital that neither this letter nor my previous papers go out of your hands to anyone。
〃First； to explain about Kirk： Within ten years or so I believe the Arab nations will bury their differences and use the real power they have； not against Israel directly but against the Western world … forcing us into an intolerable position： Do we abandon Israel 。。。 or do we starve？ They use their oil as a weapon of war。
〃If they ever manage to work together； a handful of sheiks and feudal kings in Saudi Arabia； Iran； the Persian Gulf States； Iraq； Libya； can； at their whim； cut off Western and Japanese supplies of the one raw material that is indispensable。 They have an even more sophisticated opportunity： to raise the price to unprecedented heights and hold our economies to ransom。 Oil is the ultimate weapon for Arabia。 Unbeatable so long as we're dependent on their oil。 Hence my immediate interest in Kirk's theory。
〃Nowadays it costs about eight cents American to get one barrel of oil to the surface of an Arabian desert。 From the North Sea it would cost seven dollars to bring one barrel ashore； in bulk； to Scotland。 If Arabian oil jumped from its present three dollars a barrel on the world market to nine 。。。 I'm sure you get the point immediately。 At once North Sea bees immensely possible； and a British national treasure。
〃Jamie says the fields are to the north and east of Scotland。 The port of Aberdeen would be the logical place to bring it ashore。 A wise man would start looking at wharfing； real estate； airfields； in Aberdeen。 Don't worry about bad weather； helicopters will be the connecting links to the rigs。 Expensive yes； but viable。 Further； if you will accept my forecast that Labour will win the next election because of the Profumo scandal 。。。〃
The case had filled the newspapers。 Six months before； in March； the Secretary of State for War； John