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y usually the shelves were filled with neat stacks of notes and paper tubes of silver； the notes clipped together in their hundreds and thousands and tens of thousands。 Sorting the money after closing was the job she liked best； that and touching the sensuous bundles of new； crisp； fresh bills。
〃Oh this is terrible； Honorable Sung；〃 she said near to tears。 Her thick glasses were misted and her hair askew。
〃It's just temporary； just temporary； Miss Cho。 Remember what the Honorable Haply wrote in today's Guardian！〃 He cleared the last shelf； mitting his final reserves； cursing the consignment that had not yet arrived。 〃Here。〃 He gave her 15；000 for show； made her sign for it； and took 15 for each of the other two tellers。 Now the vault was empty。
When he came into the main room there was a sudden electric； exciting hush at the apparently large amount of money； cash money。
He gave the money to the other two tellers； then vanished into his office again。
Miss Cho was stacking the money neatly in her drawer； all eyes watching her and the other tellers。 One packet of 1；000 she left on the desk。 She broke the seal and methodically counted out 320； and three ones and the change； recounted it and slid it across the counter。 The old woman stuffed it into a paper bag； and the next in line irritably shoved forward and thrust his savings book into Miss Cho's face。 〃Here； by all the gods。 I want seven thous… 〃
At that moment； the three o'clock bell went and Mr。 Sung appeared instantly and said in a loud voice； 〃Sorry； we have to close now。 All tellers close your … 〃 The rest of his words were drowned by the angry roar。
〃By all gods I've waited since dawn 。。。〃
〃Dew neh loh moh but I've been here eight hours。 。。。〃
〃Ayeeyah； just pay me； you've enough 。。。〃
〃Oh please please please please 。。。〃
Normally the bank would just have shut its doors and served those within； but this time； obediently； the three frightened tellers locked their tills in the uproar； put up their CLOSED signs and backed away from the outstretched hands。
Suddenly the crowd within the bank became a mob。
Those in front were shoved against the counter as others fought to get into the bank。 A girl shrieked as she was slammed against the counter。 Hands reached out for the grilles that were more for decoration than protection。 Everyone was enraged now。 One old seaman who had been next in line reached over to try to jerk the till drawer open。 The old amah was jammed in the seething mass of a hundred or more people and she fought to get to one side； her money clasped tightly in her scrawny hands。 A young woman lost her footing and was trampled on。 She tried to get up but the milling legs defied her so； in desperation； she bit into one leg and got enough respite to scramble up； stockings ripped； chong…sam torn and now in panic。 Her panic whipped the mob further then someone shouted； 〃Kill the motherless whore's son 。。。〃 and the shout was taken up； 〃Killllllll！〃
There was a split second of hesitation； then； as one； they surged forward。
〃Stop！〃
The word blasted through the atmosphere in English and then in Haklo and then in Cantonese and then in English again。
The silence was sudden and vast。
The uniformed chief inspector stood before them； unarmed and calm； an electric megaphone in his hand。 He had e through the back door into an inner office and now he was looking at them。
〃It's three o'clock；〃 he said softly in Haklo。 〃The law says banks close at three o'clock。 This bank is now closed。 Please turn around and go home！ Quietly！〃
Another silence； angrier this time； then the beginning of a violent swell and one man muttered sullenly； 〃What about my fornicating money 。。。〃 and others almost took up the shout but the police officer moved fast； very fast； directly at the man； fearlessly lifted the countertop and went straight at him into the mob。 The mob backed off。
〃Tomorrow；〃 the police officer said gently； towering over him。 〃You'll get all your money tomorrow。〃 The man dropped his eyes； hating the cold blue fish…eyes and the nearness of a foreign devil。 Sullenly he moved back a pace。
The policeman looked at the rest of them； into their eyes。 〃You at the back；〃 he ordered； instantly selecting the man with unerring care； his voice manding yet with the same quiet confidence； 〃Turn around and make way for the others。〃
Obediently the man did as he was ordered。 The mob became a crowd again。 A moment's hesitation then another turned and began to push for the door。 〃Dew neh loh moh I haven't got all day； hurry up；〃 he said sourly。
They all began to leave； muttering； furious … but individually； not as a mob。 Sung and the tellers wiped the sweat off their brows； then sat trembling behind the safety of the counter。
The chief inspector helped the old amah up。 A fleck of blood was at the corner of her mouth。 〃Are you all right； Old Lady？〃 he asked in Haklo。
She stared at him without understanding。 He repeated it in Cantonese。
〃Ah； yes 。。。 yes；〃 she said hoarsely； still clasping her paper bag tight against her chest。 〃Thank you； Honored Lord。〃 She scuttled away into the crowd and vanished。 The room emptied。 The Englishman went out to the sidewalk after the last person and stood in the doorway； whistling tonelessly as he watched them stream away。
〃Sergeant！〃
〃Yes sir。〃
〃You can dismiss the men now。 Have a detail here at nine tomorrow。 Put up barriers and let the buggers into the bank just three at a time。 Yourself and four men'll be more than enough。〃
〃Yes sir。〃 The sergeant saluted。 The chief inspector turned back into the bank。 He locked the front door and smiled at Manager Sung。 〃Rather humid this afternoon； isn't it？〃 he said in English to give Sung face … all educated Chinese in Hong Kong prided themselves in speaking the international language。
〃Yes sir；〃 Sung replied nervously。 Normally he liked him and admired this chief inspector greatly。 Yes； he thought。 But this was the first time he had actually seen a quai loh with the Evil Eye； daring a mob； standing alone like a malevolent god in front of the mob； daring it to move； to give him the opportunity to spit fire and brimstone。
Sung shuddered again。 〃Thank you； Chief Inspector。〃
〃Let's go into your office and I can take a statement。〃
〃Yes； please。〃 Sung puffed himself up in front of his staff； taking mand again。 〃The rest of you make up your books and tidy up。〃
He led the way into his office and sat down and beamed。 〃Tea； Chief Inspector？〃
〃No thank you。〃 Chief Inspector Donald C。 C。 Smyth was about five foot ten and well built； fair hair and blue eyes and a taut sunburned face。 He pulled out a sheaf of papers and put them on the desk。 〃These are the accounts of my men。 At nine tomorrow； you will close their accounts and pay them。 They'll e to the back door。〃
〃Yes of course。 I would be honored。 But I will lose face if so many valuable accounts leave me。 The bank is as sound as it was yesterday； Chief Inspector。〃
〃Of course。 Meanwhile tomorrow at nine。 In cash please。〃 He handed him some more papers。 And four savings books。 〃I'll take a cashier's check for all of these。 Now。〃
〃But Chief Inspector； today was extraordinary。 There's no problem with the Ho…Pak。 Surely you could 。。。〃
〃Now。〃 Smyth smiled sweetly。 〃Withdrawal slips are all signed and ready。〃
Sung glanced at them。 All were Chinese names that he knew were nominees of nominees of this man whose nickname was the Snake。 The accounts totaled nearly 850；000 HK。 And that's just in this branch alone； he thought； very impressed with the Snake's acumen。 What about the Victoria and Blacs and all the other branches in Aberdeen？
〃Very well；〃 he said wearily。 〃But I'll be very sorry to see so many accounts leave the bank。〃
Smyth smiled again。 〃The whole of the Ho…Pak's not broke yet； is it？〃
〃Oh no； Chief Inspector；〃 Sung said； shocked。 〃We have published assets worth a billion HK and cash reserves of many tens of millions。 It's just these simple people； a temporary problem of confidence。 Did you see Mr。 Haply's column in the Guardian？〃
〃Yes。〃
〃Ah。〃 Sung's face darkened。 〃Malicious rumors spread by jealous tai…pans and other banks！ If Haply claims that； of course it's true。〃
〃Of course！ Meanwhile I am a little busy this afternoon。〃
〃Yes。 Of course。 I'll do it at once。 I； er； I see in the paper you've caught one of those evil Werewolves。〃
〃We've a triad suspect； Mr。 Sung； just a suspect。〃
Sung shuddered。 〃Devils！ But you'll catch them all 。。。 devils； sending an ear！ They must be foreigners。 I'll wager they're foreigners never mind。 Here； sir； I've made the checks 。。。〃
There was a knock on the door。 A corporal came in and saluted。 〃Excuse me； sir； a bank truck's outside。 They say they're from Ho…Pak's Head Office。〃
〃Ayeeyah；〃 Sung said； greatly relieved； 〃and about time。 They promised the delivery at two。 It's more money。〃
〃How much？〃 Smyth asked。
〃Half a million；〃 the corporal volunteered at once； handing over the manifest。 He was a short； bright man with dancing eyes。
〃Good；〃 Smyth said。 〃Well； Mr。 Sung； that'll take the pressure off you； won't it。〃
〃Yes。 Yes it will。〃 Sung saw the two men looking at him and he said at once； expansively； 〃If it