When the Lion Feeds (28 page)

Fernandes nimbled to a halt, braced himself and threw.

The table leg whirred like a rising pheasant an inch over Sean's head, ruffling his hair with the wind of its passage. Lead on, Duff. Sean was uncomfortably conscious of the fact that Fernandes was again m motion towards him, still armed with a long oak, and that three very thin ropes were all that stood between them. The speed that Sean and duff turned on then made Mr Blair's earlier exhibition seem like that of a man with both legs in plaster, Fernandes, carrying top weight as he was, never looked like catching them.

Francois came up to the Candy Deep just after midday with the news that the Portuguese, after beating three of his sponsors into insensibility, had left on the noon coach back to Kimberley.

Duff uncocked his rifle. Thanks, Franz, we were waiting lunch for him.

I thought he might call on us. Have you counted the takings? Yes, your commission is in that paper bag on the table. Thanks, man, let's go down and celebrate. You go and have one for us. Hey, Duff, you promised - Sean started. I said later, in three or four weeks time. Now we've got a little work to do, like digging a trench fifty feet deep and three hundred yards long. rWe could start first thing tomorrow. You want to be rich, don't you? asked Duff.

Sure, but You want nice things, like English suits, French champagne andYes, butWell, stop arguing, get off your fat arse and come with me!

The Chinese use firecrackers to keep the demons away.

Duff and Sean applied the same principle. They kept the mill running;

as long as its clunking carried across the valley to the ears of their creditors all was well. Everyone accepted the fact that they were working a payable reef and left them alone, but the money they fed into the front of the mill had halved its value by the time it came out of the other side in those pathetic little yellow pellets.

In the meantime they cut their trench, teaxiing into the earth in a race against Settlement Day. They fired dynamite and as the last stones dropped back out of the sky they were in again, coughing with the fumes, to clear the loosened rock and start drilling the next set of holes. it was summer, the days were long, and while it was light they worked. Some evenings they lit the last fuses by lantern light.

Sand fell through the hour-glass faster than they had bargained for, the money dribbled away and on the fifteenth of February Duff shaved himself, changed his shirt and went to see Candy about another loan.

Sean watched him walk away down the slope. They had sold the horses a week before, and he said a small prayer, the first for many years.

Duff came back in the late morning. He stood on the edge of the trench and watched Sean tamping in the charges for the next cut. Sean's back was shiny with sweat; each individual muscle standing out in relief, swelling and subsiding as he moved. That's the stuff, laddie, keep at it Sean looked up with dust-reddened eyes. How much?

he asked. Another fifty, and this is the last, or so she threatens.

Sean's eyes fastened on the package Duff held under his arm. What's thatV He could see the stains seeping through the brown paper and the saliva flooded out from under his tongue. Prime beef chops, no mealie meal porridge for lunch today Duff grinned at him. Meat. Sean caressed the word. Underdone, bleeding a little as you bite it, a trace of garlic, just enough salt. And you beside me, singing in the wilderness, agreed Duff. Cut out the poetry, light those fuses and let's go and eat. An hour later they walked side by side along the bottom of their trench, Mbejane and his Zulus crowding behind them. Sean belched. Ah, pleasant memory, I'll never be able to look another plate of mealie meal in the face again. They reached the end, where the freshly broken earth and rock lay piled. Sean felt the thrill start in his hands, tingle up his arms and squeeze his lungs. Then Duff's fingers were biting into his shoulder; he could feel them trembling.

It looked like a snake, a fat grey python crawling down one wall of the trench, disappearing under the heap of new rabble and out the other side.

Duff moved first, he knelt and picked up a piece of the reef, a big grey mottled lump of it and he kissed it.

It must be it, hey, Duff? It must be the Leader? It's the end of the rainbow. No more mealie meal, Sean said softly and Duff laughed. Then sean laughed. Wildly, crazily, together they howled their triumph.

Let me hold it again, said Sean.

Duff passed it across to him. Hell, it's heavy There'snothing heavier, agreed Duff. Must be all of fifty pounds. Sean held the bar in two hands, it was the size of a cigar box. More! We've retrieved all our losses in two days working. And some to spare, I'd say. Sean placed the gold bar on the table between them. It shone with little yellow smiles in the lantern light and Duff leaned forward and stroked it; its surface felt knobbly from the rough casting.

I can't keep my hands off it, he confessed sheepishly. I can't either!

Sean reached out to touch it. We'll be able to pay Candy out for the claims in another week or two Duff started. What you say? I said we'd be able to pay Candy out. I thought I wasn't hearing things Duff patted his arm indulgently. Listen to me, laddie, I'll try and put it simply.

How long have we got the option on these claims for? Three years.

Correct, now the next question. How many people on these fields have any money?

Sean looked mystified. Well, we have now and and . . .

No one else, that is until Hradsky gets back, Duff finished for him.

What about the Heyns brothers?

They've cut open the Leader Reef. Certainly, but it won't do them any good, not until their machinery arrives from England. Go on! Sean wasn't quite sure where Duff was leading. Instead of paying Candy out now we are going to use this, , he patted the gold bar, land all its little brothers to buy up every likely claim we can lay, our hands on.

For a start there are Doc Sutherland's claims between us and the Jack and Whistle. Then we are going to order a couple of big ten-stamp mills and when those are spilling out gold we'll use it to buy land, finance brick works, engineering shops, transport companies and the rest. I've told you before there are more ways of making gold than digging for it sean was staring at him silently.

Have you got a head for heights? asked Duff.

Sean nodded. You're going to need it, because we are going up where the eagles fly, you are about to be a party to the biggest financial killing this country has ever seen. Sean lit one of Candy's cigars; his hand was a little unsteady. Don't you think it would be best to, well, not try and go too quickly. Hell, Duff, we've only been working the Leader for two daysAnd we've made a thousand pounds, Duff interrupted him.

Listen to me, Sean, all my life I've been waiting for an opportunity like this. We're the first in on this field, it's as wide open as the legs of a whore. We're going to go in and take it. The next morning duff had the good fortune to find Doc Sutherland early enough to talk business with him, before he began the day's drinking. Another hour would have been too late. As it was Doc knocked over his glass and fell out of his chair before he finally signed away twenty-five claims to sean and Duff. The ink was hardly dry on the agreement before Duff was riding down to Fereira's Camp to look for Ted Reynecke who held the claims on the other side of the Cousin Jock. Up on the Candy Deep Sean nursed the mill and bit his nails. Within seven days Duff had bought over one hundred claims and committed them to forty thousand pounds in debts. Duff, you're going mad. Sean pleaded with him. We'll lose everything again. How much have we pulled out of the Candy Deep so far?

Four thousand. Ten percent of what we owe in ten days, and with a miserable little four-stamp mill at that. Hold on to your hat, laddie, tomorrow I'm going to sign up for the forty claims on the other side of the Jack and Whistle. I would have had them today but that damned Greek is holding out for a thousand pounds apiece. I'll have to give it to him, I suppose Sean clutched his temples. Duff, please, man, we're in over our necks already! Stand back, laddie, and watch the wizard workIng! going to bed, I suppose I'll have to take your shift again in the morning if you're determined to spend tomorrow ruining us. That's not necessary, I've hired that Yankee, Curtis.

You know, your sparring partner. It turns out he's a miner and he's willing to work for thirty a month. So you can come to town with me and watch me make you rich. I'm meeting the Greek at Candy's Hotel at nine o'clock.

Duff was talking and Sean sat silently on the edge of his chair; at ten the Greek had still not put in an appearance, Duff was moody and Sean was garrulous with relief. At eleven Sean wanted to go back to the mine. It's an omen, Duff, God looked down and he saw us sitting here all ready to make a terrible mistake. "No, " he said, , I can't let them do it, i'll have the Greek break a leg, I can't let it happen to such nice boys. " Why don't you go and join a Trappist monastery? Duff checked his watch. Come on, let's go! Yes, sir! Sean stood up with alacrity. We'll get back in plenty of time to clean the tables before lunch. we're not going home, we're going to look for the Greek. Now listen, Duff I'll listen later, come on. They rode across to the Bright angels, left the horses outside and walked in together. It was dark in the canteen after the sunshine-outside, but even in the gloom a group at one of the tables caught their attention immediately.

The Greek sat with his back to them; the line of his parting seemed to be drawn with white chalk and a ruler through the oily black waves of his hair. Sean's eyes switched from him to the two men that sat across the table from him. Jews, there was no mistaking it, but there any similarity ended. The younger one was thin with smooth olive skin drawn tight across the bold bones of his cheeks; his lips were very red and his eyes, fringed with girl's lashes, were toffee-brown and melting. In the chair beside him was a man with a body that had been shaped in wax then held near a hot flame. Shoulders rounded to the verge of deformity drooped down over a pearshaped body; with difficulty they supported the great Taj Mahal domed head. His hair was styled in the fashion of Friar tuck, thick only around the ears. But the eyes, the flickering yellow eyes, there was nothing comical about them. Hradsky, hissed Duff, then his expression changed. He smiled as he walked across to the table.

Hello, Nikky, I thought we had an appointment The Greek twisted quickly in his chair. Mr Charleywood, I'm sorry, I was held up. So I see, the woods are full of highway-men. Sean saw the flush start -to come up out of Hradsky's collar then sink back again.

Have you sold? Duff asked.

The Greek nodded nervously. I'm sorry, Mr Charleywood, but Mr Hradsky paid my price and no haggling, cash money, too!

Duff let his eyes wander across the table. Hello, Norman. How's your daughter? This time the flush escaped from Hradsky's shirt and flooded over his face. He opened his mouth, his tongue clucked twice, then he closed it again.

Duff smiled, he looked at the younger Jew. Say it for him, Max. The toffee eyes dropped to the table top. Mr Hradsky's daughter is very well. I believe she married soon after my involuntary departure from kimberley. That is correct. Wise move, Norman, much wiser than having your bully boys run me out of town. That wasn't very nice of you.

No one spoke. We must get together some time and have a chat about old times. Until then, Fa, fa, fare ye we, we, well On the way back to the mine Sean asked, He's got a daughter? If she looks like him you were lucky to escape. She didn't, she was like a bunch of ripe grapes with the bloom on them. I can hardly credit it. Neither could 1. The only conclusion I could reach was that Max did that job for him as well rWhat's the story about MaxVHe's the Court Jester. Rumour has it that after Hradsky has finished hanging it out, Max shakes it for him. Sean laughed and Duff went on, But don't underestimate Hradsky. His stutter is his only weakness and with Max to talk for him he's overcome that.

Beneath that monumental skull is a brain as quick and merciless as a guillotine. Now that he's arrived on this goldfield there's going to be some action; we'll have to gallop to keep up with him. Sean thought for a few seconds, then, Talking about action, Duff, now that we've lost the greek's claims and won't have to use all our ready money satisfying him, let's give some thought to ordering new machinery to work the claims we have got.

Duff grinned at him. I sent a telegram to London last week. There'll be a pair of brand new ten-stamp mills on the water to us before the end of the month. Good God, why didn't you tell me? You were worried enough as it was, I didn't want to break your heart Sean opened his mouth to blast Duff out of the saddle, Duff winked at him before he could talk and Sean's lips trembled. He felt the laughter in his throat, he tried to stop it but it swamped him. How much is it going to cost us? he howled through his mirth. If you ask that question once more, I'll strangle you, Duff laughed back at him. Rest content in the knowledge that if we're going to have enough to honour the bills of lading when those mills arrive at Port Natal, we'll have to run a mountain of Leader Reef through our little rig during the next few weeks. What about the payments on the new claims? That's my department, I'll worry about that And so their partnership crystallized;

their relationship was established over the weeks that followed. Duff with his magic tongue and his charming, lopsided grin was the one who negotiated, who poured the oil on the storm waters churned up by impatient creditors. He was the storehouse of mining knowledge which sean tapped daily, he was the conceiver of schemes, some wild, others brilliant. But his fleeting nervous energy was not designed to bring them to fruition. He lost interest quickly and it was Sean who finally rejected the least likely Charleywood brain children and adopted the others that were more deserving; once he had made himself stepfather to them he reared them as though they were his own. Duff was the theorist, Sean the practician. Sean could see why Duff had never found success before, but at the same time he recognized that without him he would be helpless. He watched with profound admiration the way that Duff used the barely sufficient flow of gold from the Candy Deep to keep the mill running, pay the tradesmen, meet the claim monies as they fell due and still save enough for the new machinery. He was a man juggling with live coals: hold one too long and it burns, let one fall and all fall.