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he 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 Profumo； had formally denied that he had ever had an affair with a notorious call girl； Christine Keeler； one of several girls who had suddenly sprung to international prominence with their procurer； Stephen Ward … up to that time just a well…known osteopath in London's high society。 Unsubstantiated rumors began to circulate that the girl had also been having an affair with one of the Soviet attachés； a well…known KGB agent； mander Yevgeny Ivanov； who had been recalled to Russia the previous December。 In the uproar that followed； Profumo resigned； and Stephen Ward mitted suicide。
〃It is curious that the affair was revealed to the press at the perfect time for the Soviets；〃 Grant continued。 〃I have no proof； yet； but it's not just a coincidence in my opinion。 Remember it is Soviet doctrine to fragment countries … North Korea and South； East Germany and West； and so on … then to let their indoctrinated underlings do their work for them。 So I think the pro…Soviet Socialists will help fragment Britain into England； Scotland； Wales and south and north Ireland （watch Eire and Northern Ireland which is a ready…made arena for Soviet merrymaking）。
〃Now for my suggested Contingency Plan One for the Noble House： To be circumspect about England and to concentrate on Scotland as a base。 North Sea oil would make Scotland abundantly self…sufficient。 The population is small； hardy and nationalistic。 As an entity； Scotland would be practical now； and defensible … with an abundant exportable oil supply。 A strong Scotland could perhaps help tip the scales and help a tottering England 。。。 our poor country； Mr。 Dunross！ I fear greatly for England。
〃Perhaps this is another of my farfetched theories。 But reconsider Scotland； Aberdeen； in the light of a new North Sea。〃
〃Ridiculous！〃 Dunross exploded and he stopped reading for a moment； his mind swept； then cautioned himself； don't go off at half cock！ AMG's farfetched sometimes； given to exaggeration； he's a right…wing imperialist who sees fifteen Reds under every bed。 But what he says could be possible。 If it's possible； then it must be considered。 If there were a vast worldwide oil shortage and we were prepared； we could make a fortune； he told himself； his excitement growing。 It'd be easy to buy into Aberdeen now； easy to begin a calculated retreat from London without hurting anything … Edinburgh has all the modern amenities of banking； munications； ports； airfields； that we'd need to operate efficiently。 Scotland for the Scots； with abundant oil for export？ pletely viable； but not separate； somehow within a strong Britain。 But if the city of London； Parliament and Threadneedle Street bee left…wing choked 。。。
The hair on the nape of his neck twisted at the thought of Britain being buried under a shroud of left…wing socialism。 What about Robin Grey？ Or Julian Broadhurst？ he asked himself； chilled。 Certainly they'd nationalize everything； they'd grab North Sea oil； if any； and put Hong Kong on the block … they've already said they would。
With an effort he tabled that thought for later； turned the page and read on。 〃Next； I think I've identified three of your Sevrin moles。 The information was expensive … I may need extra money before Christmas … and I am not certain of the accuracy （I'm trying to cross…check at once； realizing the importance to you）。 The moles are believed to be： Jason Plumm of a pany called Asian Properties； Lionel Tuke in the telephone pany； and Jacques deVille in Struan's 。。。〃
〃Impossible！〃 Dunross burst out loud。 〃AMG's gone mad！ Plumm's as impossible as Jacques； totally absolutely impossible。 There's no way they co… 〃
His private phone began ringing。 Automatically he picked it up。 〃Yes？〃
〃This is the overseas operator calling Mr。 Dunross。〃
〃Who's calling him please？〃 he snapped。
〃Will Mr。 Dunross accept a collect call from Sydney； Australia； from a Mr。 Duncan Dunross？〃
The tai…pan's heart missed a beat。 〃Of course！ Hello； Duncan 。。。 Duncan？〃
〃Father？〃
〃Hello； my son； are you all right？〃
〃Oh yes； sir； absolutely！〃 he heard his son say and his anxiety fled。 〃I'm sorry to call you during the working day； Father； but my Monday flight's overbooked an… 〃
〃Damnit； you have a confirmed booking； laddie。 I'll get p… 〃
〃No； Father； thank you； that's perfectly all right。 Now I'm on an earlier one。 I'm on Singapore Airlines Flight 6 which arrives Hong Kong at noon。 Don't bother to meet me； I'll get a taxi an… 〃
〃Look for the car； Duncan。 Lee Choy will be there。 But e to the office before you go home； eh？〃
〃All right。 I've validated my tickets and everything。〃
Dunross heard the pride in his son's voice and it warmed him。 〃Good。 Well done。 By the way； cousin Linbar will be arriving tomorrow on Qantas at 8：00 p。m。 your time。 He'll be staying at the house too。〃 Struan's had had a pany house in Sydney since 1900 and a permanent office there since the eighties。 Hag Struan had gone into partnership with an immensely wealthy wheat farmer named Bill Scragger and their pany had flourished until the crash of 1929。 〃Did you have a good holiday？〃
〃Oh smashing！ Smashing； yes； I want to e back next year。 I met a smashing girl； Father。〃
〃Oh？〃 Half of Dunross wanted to smile； the other half was still locked into the nightmare possibility that Jacques was a traitor； and if traitor and part of Sevrin； was he the one who supplied some of their innermost secrets to Linc Bartlett？ No； Jacques couldn't have。 He couldn't possibly have known about our bank holdings。 Who knows about those？ Who wou…
〃Father？〃
〃Yes； Duncan？〃
He heard the hesitancy； then his son said in a run； trying to sound manly； 〃Is it all right for a fellow to have a girl friend a little older than himself？〃
Dunross smiled gently and started to dismiss the thought as his son was only just fifteen； but then he remembered Elegant Jade when he himself was not quite fifteen； surely more of a man than Duncan。 Not necessarily； he thought honestly。 Duncan's tall and growing and just as much a man。 And didn't I love her to madness that year and the next year and didn't I almost