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t。 Of course Pug's General Stores shares will soar first thing on Monday。 But how in the hell did Ian and Havergill keep it quiet？ Christ I could've made a bundle if I'd known； perhaps I still can！ The rumors about the Victoria not supporting Struan's is obviously a lot of cobblers。 。。。
Wait a minute； Sir Luis Basilio was thinking； didn't we buy a huge block of General Stores last week for a nominee buyer？ Good God； has the tai…pan outsmarted all of us？ But Madonna； wait a minute； what about the run on his stock； what about the market crashing； what about the cash he'll have to put up to fix the tender； what about 。。。
Even Gornt was counting； his mind flooded with fury that he had not thought of the ploy first。 He knew the bid was good； perfect in fact； that he could not top it； not at the moment。 But then； Ian can't plete。 There's no wa…
〃Can we go to press on this； tai…pan？〃 Martin Haply's incisive Canadian voice cut through the excited uproar。
〃Certainly； Mr。 Haply。〃
〃May I ask a few questions？〃
〃It depends what they are；〃 Dunross said easily。 Looking at the penetrating brown eyes； he was grimly amused。 We could use a right rotten young bastard in the family … if he could be trusted with Adryon。 〃What had you in mind？〃
〃This's the first time a takeover's ever been contested。 May I ask why you're doing it at this time？〃
〃Struan's have always been innovative。 As to timing； we considered it perfect。〃
〃Do you consider this Sat… 〃
Biltzmann interrupted harshly； 〃We have a deal。 It's set。 Dickie？〃 He whirled on Pugmire。 〃Eh？〃
〃It was all set； Mr。 Biltzmann；〃 Dunross said crisply。 〃But we're contesting your tender； just as it's done in the States； according to American rules。 I presume you don't mind a contest？ Of course we are amateurs here but we enjoy trying to learn from our peers。 Until the stockholders' meeting nothing's final； that's the law isn't it？〃
〃Yes； but 。。。 but it was set！〃 The tall gray…haired man turned to Pugmire； hardly able to speak he was so angry。 〃You said it was all agreed。〃
〃Well； the directors had agreed；〃 Pugmire said uneasily； conscious of everyone listening； particularly Haply； one half of him ecstatic with the vastly improved offer； the other furious that he； too； had had no advance warning so he could have bought in heavily。 〃But； er； but of course it has to be ratified by the stockholders at the Friday meeting。 We had no idea there'd be a 。。。 Er； Ian； er； Chuck； don't you think this is hardly the place to dis… 〃
〃I agree；〃 the tai…pan said。 〃But at the moment there's little to discuss。 The offer's made。 By the way； Pug； your own deal stands； except that it's extended from five to seven years； with a seat on Struan's board for the same period。〃
Pugmire's mouth dropped open。 〃That's part of the tender？〃
〃We'd need your expertise； of course；〃 Dunross said airily； and everyone knew Pugmire was hooked and landed。 〃The rest of the package as negotiated by you and Superfoods stands。 The papers will be on your desk by 9：30。 Perhaps you'll put our tender to your stockholders on Friday。〃 He went over to Biltzmann and put out his hand。 〃Good luck。 I presume you'll be ing back with a counteroffer at once。〃
〃Well； er； I have to check with head office； Mr。； er； tai…pan。〃 Biltzmann was flushed and angry。 〃We 。。。 we put our best foot forward and 。。。 That's a mighty fine offer you made。 Yes。 But with the run on your stock； the run on the banks and the market going down； that's going to be kinda hard to close； isn't it？〃
〃Not at all； Mr。 Biltzmann；〃 Dunross said； gambling everything that Bartlett would not renege on the promise of cash； that he would close with Par…Con； extricate himself from Gornt and put his stock back into its rightful place by next weekend。 〃We can close with no trouble at all。〃
Biltzmann's voice sharpened。 〃Dickie； I think you'd better consider our bid carefully。 It's good till Tuesday；〃 he said； confident that by Tuesday Struan's would be in a shambles。 〃Now I'll make me a bet on the next race。〃 He stalked out。 Tension in the box went up several decibels。
Everyone began talking but Haply called out； 〃Tai…pan； may I ask a question？〃
Again attention zeroed。 〃What is it？〃
〃I understand it's customary in takeovers for there to be a down payment； in cash； a measure of good faith。 May I ask how much Struan's is putting up？〃
Everyone waited breathlessly； watching Dunross。 He held the pause as his eyes raked the faces； enjoying the excitement； knowing everyone wanted him humbled； almost everyone； except 。。。 except who？ Casey for one； even though she's in the know。 Bartlett？ I don't know； not for certain。 Claudia？ Oh yes； Claudia was staring at him； white…faced。 Donald McBride； Gavallan； even Jacques。
His eyes stopped on Martin Haply。 〃Perhaps Mr。 Pugmire would prefer to have that detail in private；〃 he said； leading them on。 〃Eh； Pug？〃
Gornt interrupted Pugmire and said； as a challenge； 〃Ian； since you've decided to be unorthodox； why not make it all public？ How much you put down measures the value of your tender。 Doesn't it？〃
〃No。 Not really；〃 Dunross said。 He heard the distant muted roar of the off for the third race and was sure； watching the faces； that no one heard it except him。 〃Oh； very well；〃 he said； matter…of…fact； 〃Pug； how about 2 million； U。S。； with the papers at 9：30 Monday？ In good faith。〃
A gasp went through the room。 Havergill； Johnjohn； Southerby； Gornt； were aghast。 Phillip Chen almost fainted。 Involuntarily Havergill began； 〃Ian； don't you think we； er； th… 〃
Dunross wheeled on him。 〃Oh； don't you consider it enough； Paul？〃
〃Oh yes； yes of course； more than enough； but； er 。。。〃 Havergill's words trailed off under Dunross's gaze。
〃Oh for a moment 。。。〃 Dunross stopped； pretending to have a sudden thought； 〃Oh； you needn't worry； Paul； I haven't mitted you without your approval of course。 I have alternate financing for this deal； external financing；〃 he continued with his easy charm。 〃As you know； Japanese banks and many others are anxious to expand into Asia。 I thought it better … to keep everything secret and prevent the usual leaks … to finance this externally until I was ready to announce。 Fortunately the Noble House has friends all over the world！ See you all later！〃
He turned and left。 Phillip Chen followed。 Martin Haply started for the phone and then everyone was talking and saying I don't believe it； Christ if Ian's got that sort of external funds 。。。
In the hubbub Havergill asked Johnjohn； 〃Which Japanese bank？〃
〃I wish I knew。 If Ian's got finance for this 。。。 my God； 2 million U。S。's twice as much as he needed to offer。〃
Southerby； who was alongside them； wiped his palms。 〃If Ian pulls this off it'll be worth 10 million U。S。 the first year at least。〃 He smiled sardonically。 〃Well； Paul； now it looks as though we're both out of this particular pie。〃
〃Yes； yes it does； but I just don't see how Ian could 。。。 and to keep it so quiet！〃
Southerby bent closer。 〃Meanwhile；〃 he asked softly； 〃more important； what about Tiptop？〃
〃Nothing； nothing yet。 He hasn't returned my calls； or Johnjohn's。〃 Havergill's eyes fell on Gornt who was now talking privately with Plumm。 He turned his back on him。 〃What will Quillan do now？〃
〃Buy first thing Monday morning。 He has to。 Has to now； too dangerous to hold on；〃 Southerby said。
〃I agree；〃 Sir Luis Basilio added； joining them。 〃If Ian can toss that sort of cash around； those who've been selling him short better watch out。 e to think of it； we've been buying General Stores for nominees this last week。 Probably Ian； eh？ He has to have taken a position； lucky devil！〃
〃Yes；〃 Johnjohn muttered。 〃For the life of me I can't figure 。。。 Good sweet Christ； and now if he wins with Noble Star！ With joss like that he could turn his whole mess about； you know what Chinese're like！〃
〃Yes；〃 Gornt said； butting in； startling them。 〃But thank God we're not all Chinese。 We've yet to see the cash。〃
〃He must have it … must have it；〃 Johnjohn said。 〃Matter of face。〃
〃Ah； face。〃 Gornt was sardonic。 〃9：30 a。m。； eh？ If he'd really been smart he would have said noon； or 3：00 p。m。； then we wouldn't know all day and he could've manipulated us all day。 As it is now 。。。〃 Gornt shrugged。 〃I win either way； millions； if not control。〃 He glanced across the noisy box； nodded nonmittally to Bartlett and Casey； then turned away。
Bartlett took Casey's arm and led her on to the balcony。 〃What do you think？〃 he asked softly。
〃About Gornt？〃
〃About Dunross。〃
〃Fantastic！ He's fantastic。 'Japanese bank' … that was a stunning red herring；〃 she said excitedly。 〃He's put this whole group into a tailspin； you could see that； and if this group； the whole of Hong Kong。 You heard what Southerby said？〃
〃Sure。 It looks like we've all got it made … if he can squeeze out of Gornt's trap。〃
〃Let's hope。〃 Then she noticed his smile。 〃What？〃
〃You know what we just did； Casey？ We just bought the Noble House for the promise of 2 million bucks。〃
〃How？〃
〃Ian's gambling I will put up the 2。〃
〃That's no gamble； Linc； that was the deal。〃
〃Sure。 But say I don't。 His whole pack of cards collapses。 If he doesn't get the 2 he's finished。 Yesterday I told Gornt