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in a man's world early … so I'll rub your nose in it。 Yes。 Or maybe a game of pool … or billiards。 Sure； and I know what reverse English is too。
Casey thought of her father with a sudden shaft of joy； and how he had taught her the rudiments of both games。 But it was Linc who taught her how to stab low on the left side with the cue to give the ball a twist to the right to swerve around the eight ball … showed her when； foolishly； she had challenged him to a game。 He had slaughtered her before he gave her any lessons。
〃Casey； you'd better make sure you know all a man's weak points before you battle with him。 I wiped the board with you to prove a point。 I don't play games for pleasure … just to win。 I'm not playing games with you。 I want you； nothing else matters。 Let's forget the deal we made and get married and 。。。〃
That was just a few months after she had started working for Linc Bartlett。 She was just twenty and already in love with him。 But she still wanted revenge on the other man more； and independent wealth more and to find herself more； so she had said； 〃No； Linc； we agreed seven years。 We agreed up front； as equals。 I'll help you get rich and I'll get mine on the way to your millions； and neither of us owes the other anything。 You can fire me anytime for any reason； and I can leave for any reason。 We're equals。 I won't deny that I love you with all my heart but I still won't change our deal。 But if you're still willing to ask me to marry you when I reach my twenty…seventh birthday； then I will。 I'll marry you； live with you； leave you … whatever you want。 But not now。 Yes I love you but if we bee lovers now I'll 。。。 I'll never be able to 。。。 I just can't； Linc； not now。 There's too much I have to find out about myself。〃
Casey sighed。 What a twisted crazy deal it is。 Has all the power and dealing and wheeling … and all the years and tears and loneliness been worth it？
I just don't know。 I just don't know。 And Par…Con？ Can I ever reach my goal： Par…Con and Linc； or will I have to choose between them？
〃Ciranoush？〃 came through the earpiece。
〃Oh！ Hello； Mr。 Gornt！〃 She felt a surge of warmth。 〃This is a pleasant surprise；〃 she added； collecting her wits。
〃I hope I'm not disturbing you？〃
〃Not at all。 What can I do for you？〃
〃I wondered if you are able to confirm this Sunday yet； if you and Mr。 Bartlett are available？ I want to plan my boat party and I'd like the two of you as my honored guests。〃
〃I'm sorry； Mr。 Gornt； but Linc can't make it。 He's all tied up。〃
She heard the hesitation and then the covered pleasure in his voice。 〃Would you care to e without him？ I was thinking of having a few business friends。 I'm sure you'd find it interesting。〃
It might be very good for Par…Con if I went； she thought。 Besides； if Linc and the tai…pan are going to Taipei without me； why can't I go boating without them？ 〃I'd love to；〃 she said； warmth in her voice； 〃if you're sure I won't be in the way。〃
〃Of course not。 We'll pick you up at the wharf； just opposite the hotel； near the Golden Ferry。 Ten o'clock … casual。 Do you swim？〃
〃Sure。〃
〃Good … the water's refreshing。 Water…ski？〃
〃Love it！〃
〃Very good！〃
〃Can I bring anything？ Food or wine or anything？〃
〃No。 I think we'll have everything aboard。 We'll go to one of the outer islands and picnic； water…ski … be back just after sunset。〃
〃Mr。 Gornt； I'd like to keep this excursion to ourselves。 I'm told Confucius said； 'A closed mouth catches no flies。' 〃
〃Confucius said many things。 He once likened a lady to a moonbeam。〃
She hesitated； the danger signals up。 But then she heard herself say lightly； 〃Should I bring a chaperone？〃
〃Perhaps you should；〃 he said and she heard his smile。
〃How about Dunross？〃
〃He'd hardly be a chaperone … merely the destruction of what could perhaps be a perfect day。〃
〃I look forward to Sunday； Mr。 Gornt。〃
〃Thank you。〃 The phone clicked off instantly。
You arrogant bastard！ she almost said aloud。 How much are you taking for granted？ Just thank you and click and no good…bye。
I'm Linc's and not up for grabs。
Then why did you play the coquette on the phone and at the party？ she asked herself。 And why did you want that bastard to keep your Sunday date quiet？
Women like secrets too； she told herself grimly。 Women like a lot of things men like。
26
8：35 P。M。：
The coolie was in the dingy gold vaults of the Ho…Pak Bank。 He was a small； old man who wore a tattered grimy undershirt and ragged shorts。 As the two porters lifted the canvas sack onto his bent back； he adjusted the forehead halter and leaned against it； taking the strain with his neck muscles； his hands grasping the two worn straps。 Now that he had the full weight； he felt his overtaxed heart pumping against the load； his joints shrieking for relief。
The sack weighed just over ninety pounds … almost more than his own weight。 The tally clerks had just sealed it。 It contained exactly 250 of the little gold smuggler bars； each of five taels … a little over six ounces … just one of which would have kept him and his family secure for months。 But the old man had no thought of trying to steal even one of them。 All of his being was concentrated on how to dominate the agony； how to keep his feet moving； how to do his share of the work； to get his pay at the end of his shift； and then to rest。
〃Hurry up；〃 the foreman said sourly； 〃we've still more than twenty fornicating tons to load。 Next！〃
The old man did not reply。 To do so would take more of his precious energy。 He had to guard his strength zealously tonight if he was to finish。 With an effort he set his feet into motion； his calves knotted and varicosed and scarred from so many years of labor。
Another coolie took his place as he shuffled slowly out of the dank concrete room； the shelves ladened with a seemingly never…ending supply of meticulous stacks of little gold bars that waited under the watchful eyes of the two neat bank clerks … waited to be loaded into the next canvas sack； to be counted and recounted； then sealed with a flourish。
On the narrow stairway the old man faltered。 He regained his balance with difficulty； then lifted a foot to climb another step … only twenty…eight more now … and then another and he had just made the landing when his calves gave out。 He tottered against the wall； leaning against it to ease the weight； his heart grinding； both hands grasping the straps； knowing he could never resettle the load if he stepped out of the harness； terrified lest the foreman or a subforeman would pass by。 Through the spectrum of pain he heard footsteps ing toward him and he fought the sack higher onto his back and into motion once more。 He almost toppled over。
〃Hey； Nine Carat Chu； are you all right？〃 the other coolie asked in Shantung dialect； steadying the sack for him。
〃Yes 。。。 yes 。。。〃 He gasped with relief； thankful it was his friend from his village far to the north and the leader of his gang of ten。 〃Fornicate all gods； I 。。。 I just slipped。 。。。〃
The other man peered at him in the coarse light from the single bare light overhead。 He saw the tortured； rheumy old eyes and the stretched muscles。 〃I'll take this one； you rest a moment；〃 he said。 Skillfully he eased off the weight and swung the sack to the floorboards。 〃I'll tell that motherless foreigner who thinks he's got brains enough to be a foreman that you've gone to relieve yourself。〃 He reached into his ragged； torn pants pocket and handed the old man one of his small； screwed…up pieces of cigarette foil。 〃Take it。 I'll deduct it from your pay tonight。〃
The old man mumbled his thanks。 He was all pain now； barely thinking。 The other man swung the sack onto his back； grunting with the effort； leaned against the head band； then； his calves knotted； slowly went back up the stairs； pleased with the deal he had made。
The old man slunk off the landing into a dusty alcove and squatted down。 His fingers trembled as he smoothed out the cigarette foil with its pinch of white powder。 He lit a match and held it carefully under the foil to heat it。 The powder began to blacken and smoke。 Carefully he held the smoking powder under his nostrils and inhaled deeply； again and again； until every grain had vanished into the smoke that he pulled oh so gratefully into his lungs。
He leaned back against the wall。 Soon the pain vanished and left euphoria。 It was all…pervading。 He felt young again and strong again and now he knew that he would finish his shift perfectly and this Saturday； when he went to the races； he would win the double quinella。 Yes； this would be his lucky week and he would put most of his winnings down on a piece of property； yes； a small piece of property at first but with the boom my property will go up and up and up and then I'll sell that piece and make a fortune and buy more and more and then I'll be an ancestor； my grandchildren flocking around my knees 。。。
He got up and stood tall then went back down the stairs again and stood in line； waiting his turn impatiently。 〃Dew neh loh moh hurry up；〃 he said in his lilting Shantung dialect； 〃I haven't all night！ I've another job at midnight。〃
The other job was on a construction site in Central； not far from the Ho…Pak