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Carefully he let Brian Kwok peter out and then he said casually； 〃Who's Joe？ Joe Yu？〃
〃Who？〃
He saw Brian Kwok turn and stare at him； eyes strange； different； boring into him。 Instantly he was on guard and he prepared。 〃Joe Yu；〃 he said even more offhand。
〃Who？ I don't know any Joe Yu 。。。 no。 。。。 What； what 。。。 what am I doing here？ What is this place？ What's happening？ Yu？ Why 。。。 why should I know him？ Who？〃
〃No reason；〃 Armstrong said； calming him。 〃Here； here's some tea； you must be very thirsty； old chum。〃
〃Oh yes 。。。 yes I am 。。。 where 。。。 yes 。。。 Christ what's happ 。。。 happening？〃
Armstrong helped him drink。 Then he gave him another cigarette and further calmed him。 In a few moments Brian Kwok was again deeply asleep。 Armstrong wiped his palms and his forehead； exhausted too。
The door opened。 Sinders and Crosse came in。
〃Very good； Robert；〃 Sinders said excitedly； 〃very good indeed！〃
〃Yes；〃 Crosse said。 〃I felt he was ing back too。 Your timing was perfect。〃
Armstrong said nothing； feeling soiled。
〃My God；〃 Sinders chortled； 〃this client's gold。 The minister will be delighted。 Atomics in a few months and a shooting war going on right now！ No wonder our Parliamentary Trade mission made such marvelous progress！ Excellent； Robert； just excellent！〃
〃You believe the client； sir？〃 Crosse said。
〃Absolutely； don't you？〃
〃I believe he was telling what he knew。 Whether it's fact； that's another matter。 Joe Yu？ Does Joe or Joseph Yu mean anything to you？〃 The others shook their heads。 〃John Chancellor？〃
〃No。〃
〃Chung Li？〃
Armstrong said； 〃There's a Chung Li who's a friend of Br… the client's； a car enthusiast … Shanghainese； big industrialist … could be him。〃
〃Good。 But Joe Yu； that triggered something in him。 Could be important。〃 Crosse glanced at Sinders。 〃Proceed？〃
〃Of course。〃
65
1：45 P。M。：
A roar of excitement went up from fifty thousand throats as the seven entries for the first race； jockeys up； came up the ramp out from under the stands to prance and skitter to the owners' paddock where trainers and owners waited。 The owners and their wives were dressed in their very best； many of the wives laden and over…minked； Mai…ling Kwang and Dianne Chen among them； conscious of the envious stares of the multitude craning to see the horses … and them。
Either side of the soggy grass paddock and winner's circle； the packed mass of the crowds went down to the white sparkling rails and the perfectly kept turf of the encircling track。 The winning post was opposite and beside it； on the other side of the track； was the huge totalizator that would carry the names of the horses and jockeys and odds； race by race。 The totalizator was owned and operated by the Turf Club； as was the course。 There were no legal bookmakers here or outside or any legal off…course betting places。 This was the only legal form of betting in the Colony。
The sky was dark and forbidding。 Earlier there had been a few sprinkles but now the air was clear。
Behind the paddock and winner's circle； on this level； were the jockeys' changing rooms and the offices of the officials … food concessions and the first banks of betting windows。 Above them were the stands； four terraced tiers； each cantilevered floor with its own bank of betting windows。 The first tier was for nonvoting members； next for voting members； and the two top floors set aside for the private boxes and radio room。 Each box had its own private kitchen。 Each of the ten annually elected stewards had a box and then there were some permanent ones： first his Excellency the governor； patron of the club； then the mander…in…chief； one each for Blacs and the Victoria。 And last； Struan's。 Struan's was in the best position； exactly opposite the winning post。
〃Why's that； tai…pan？〃 Casey asked。
〃Because Dirk Struan began the Turf Club； set the rules； brought out a famous racing expert； Sir Roger Blore； to be the first secretary of the club。 He put up all the money for the first meeting； money for the stands； money to import the first batch of horses from India and helped persuade the first plenipotentiary； Sir William Longstaff； to deed the land to the Turf Club in perpetuity。〃
〃e now； tai…pan；〃 Donald McBride； the track steward for this meeting； said jovially； 〃tell it as it happened； eh？ You say Dirk 'helped persuade'？ Didn't Dirk just 'order' Longstaff to do it？〃
Dunross laughed with the others still seated at the table he had hosted； Casey； Hiro Toda and McBride； who had just arrived to visit。 There was a bar and three round tables in the box； each seating twelve fortably。 〃I prefer my version；〃 he said。 〃In any event； Casey； the legend is that Dirk was voted this position by popular acclaim when the first stands were built。〃
〃That's not true either； Casey；〃 Willie Tusk called out from the next table。 〃Didn't old Tyler Brock demand the position as the right of Brock and Sons？ Didn't he challenge Dirk to put up the position on a race； man to man； at the first meeting？〃
〃No； that's just a story。〃
〃Did those two race； tai…pan？〃 Casey asked。
〃They were going to。 But the typhoon came too soon； so they say。 In any event Culum refused to budge so here we are。 This's ours while the course exists。〃
〃And quite right too；〃 McBride said； with his happy smile。 〃The Noble House deserves the best。 Since the very first stewards were elected； Miss Casey； the tai…pan of Struan's has always been a steward。 Always。 By popular acclaim。 Well； I must be off。〃 He glanced at his watch； smiled at Dunross。 With great formality he said； 〃Permission to start the first race； tai…pan？〃
Dunross grinned back at him。 〃Permission granted。〃 McBride hurried off。
Casey stared at Dunross。 〃They have to ask your permission to begin？〃
〃It's just a custom。〃 Dunross shrugged。 〃I suppose it's a good idea for someone to say； 'All right； let's begin；' isn't it？ I'm afraid that unlike Sir Geoffrey； the governors of Hong Kong in the past haven't been known for their punctuality。 Besides； tradition is not a bad thing at all … gives you a sense of continuity； of belonging … and protection。〃 He finished his coffee。 〃If you'll excuse me a moment； I must do a few things。〃
〃Have fun！〃 She watched him go； liking him even more than last night。 Just then Peter Marlowe came in and Dunross stopped a moment。 〃Oh hello； Peter； good to see you。 How's Fleur？〃
〃Getting better； thank you； tai…pan。〃
〃e on in！ Help yourself to a drink … I'll be back in a moment。 Put your money on number five； Excellent Day； in the first！ See you later。〃
〃Thanks； tai…pan。〃
Casey beckoned to Peter Marlowe but he did not see her。 His eyes had fixed on Grey who was with Julian Broadhurst out on the balcony； haranguing some of the others。 She saw his face close and her heart leaped； remembering their hostility； so she called out； 〃Peter！ Hi； e and sit down。〃
His eyes unglazed。 〃Oh！ Oh hello；〃 he said。
〃e sit down。 Fleur's going to be fine。〃
〃She certainly appreciated your going to see her。〃
〃It was a pleasure。 Are the kids okay？〃
〃Oh yes。 You？〃
〃Fantastic。 This is the only way to go to a race！〃 Lunch in the Struan box for the thirty…six guests had been a lavish buffet of hot Chinese foods or； if they preferred； hot steak…and…kidney pie and vegetables； with plates of smoked salmon； hors d'oeuvres and cold cuts； cheeses and pastries of all kinds and as a topper； a meringue sculpture of the Struan Building … all prepared in their own kitchen。 Champagne； with the best red and white wines； liqueurs。 〃I'm gonna have to diet for fifty years。〃
〃Not you。 How goes it？〃
She felt his probing eyes。 〃Fine。 Why？〃
〃Nothing。〃 He glanced off at Grey again； then turned his attention to the others。
〃May I introduce Peter Marlowe？ Hiro Toda of Toda Shipping Industries of Yokohama。 Peter's a novelist…screenwriter from Hollywood。〃 Then all at once his book rushed into her mind and Changi and three and a half years as a prisoner of war and she waited for the explosion。 There was a hesitation between both men。 Toda politely offered his business card and Peter Marlowe gave his in return； equally politely。 He hesitated a moment then put out his hand。 〃How're you？〃
The Japanese shook it。 〃This's an honor； Mr。 Marlowe。〃
〃Oh？〃
〃It's not often one meets a famous author。〃
〃I'm not； no； not at all。〃
〃You're too modest。 I liked your book very much。 Yes。〃
〃You've read it？〃 Peter Marlowe stared at him。 〃Really？〃 He sat and looked at Toda； who was much shorter than he； lithe and well built； more handsome and well dressed in a blue suit； a camera hanging on his chair； his eyes equally level； the two men of an age。 〃Where did you find it？〃
〃In Tokyo。 We have many English bookshops。 Please excuse me； I read the paperback； not the hardback。 There was no hardback on sale。 Your novel was very illuminating。〃
〃Oh？〃 Peter Marlowe took out his cigarettes and offered them。 Toda took one。
Casey said； 〃Smoking's not good for you； you both know that！〃
They smiled at her。 〃We'll give them up for Lent；〃 Peter Marlowe said。
〃Sure。〃
Peter Marlowe looked back at Toda。 〃You were army？〃
〃No； Mr。 Marlowe。 Navy。 Destroyers。 I was at the Battle of the Coral Sea in '42； then at Mi