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〃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 wasn't for you； and your men 。。。 With your permission I'd like to call Mr。 Richard Kwang now。 I feel sure he would be honored； as I would be； to make a modest contribution to your police benevolent fund as a token of our thanks。〃
〃That's very thoughtful； but it's not necessary； Mr。 Sung。〃
〃But I will lose terrible face if you won't accept； Chief Inspector。〃
〃You're very kind；〃 Smyth said； knowing truly that without his presence in the bank and that of his men outside； Sung and the tellers and many others would be dead。 〃Thank you but that's not necessary。〃 He accepted the cashier's checks and left。
Mr。 Sung pleaded with the corporal who； at length； sent for his superior。 Divisional Sergeant Mok declined also。 〃Twenty thousand times；〃 he said。
But Mr。 Sung insisted。 Wisely。 And Richard Kwang was equally delighted and equally honored to approve the unsolicited gift。 20；000 HK。 In immediate cash。 〃With the bank's great appreciation； Divisional Sergeant Mok。〃
〃Thank you； Honorable Manager Sung；〃 Mok said politely； pocketing it； pleased to be in the Snake's division and totally impressed that 20；000 was the exact fair market figure the Snake had considered their afternoon's work was worth。 〃I hope your great bank stays solvent and you weather this storm with your usual cleverness。 Tomorrow will be orderly； of course。 We will be here at nine a。m。 promptly for our cash。 。。。〃
The old amah still sat on the bench on the harbor wall； catching her breath。 Her ribs hurt but then they always hurt； she thought wearily。 Joss。 Her name was Ah Tam and she began to get up but a youth sauntered up to her and said； 〃Sit down； Old Woman； I want to talk to you。〃 He was short and squat and twenty…one； his face pitted with smallpox scars。 〃What's in that bag？〃
〃What？ What bag？〃
〃The paper bag you clutch to your stinking old rags。〃
〃This？ Nothing； Honored Lord。 It's just my poor shopping that … 〃
He sat on the bench beside her and leaned closer and hissed； 〃Shut up； Old Hag！ I saw you e out of the fornicating bank。 How much have you got there？〃
The old woman held on to the bag desperately； her eyes closed in terror and she gasped； 〃It's all my savings； Hon… 〃
He pulled the bag out of her grasp and opened it。 〃Ayeeyah！〃 The notes were old and he counted them。 〃323！〃 he said scornfully。 〃Who are you amah to … a beggar？ You haven't been very clever in this life。〃
〃Oh yes； you're right； Lord！〃 she said； her little black eyes watching him now。
〃My h'eung yau's 20 percent；〃 he said and began to count the notes。
〃But Honored Sir；〃 she said； her voice whining now； 〃20 is too high； but I'd be honored if you'd accept 5 with a poor old woman's thanks。〃
〃15。〃
〃6！〃
〃10 and that's my final offer。 I haven't got all day！〃
〃But sir； you are young and strong； clearly a 489。 The strong must protect the old and weak。〃
〃True； true。〃 He thought a moment； wanting to be fair。 〃Very well； 7 percent。〃
〃Oh how generous you are； sir。 Thank you； thank you。〃 Happily she watched him count 22 dollars； then reach into his jeans pocket and count out 61 cents。 〃Here。〃 He gave her the change and the remainder of her money back。
She thanked him profusely； delighted with the bargain she had made。 By all the gods； she thought ecstatically； 7 percent instead of； well； at least 15 would be fair。 〃Have you also money in the Ho…Pak； Honored Lord？〃 she asked politely。
〃Of course；〃 the youth said importantly as though it were true。 〃My Brotherhood's account has been there for years。 We have 。。。〃 He doubled the amount he first thought of。 〃。。。 we have over 25；000 in this branch alone。〃
〃Eeeee；〃 the old woman crooned。 〃To be so rich！ The moment I saw you I knew you were 14K 。。。 and surely an Honorable 489。〃
〃I'm better than that；〃 the youth said proudly at once； filled with bravado。 〃I'm 。。。〃 But he stopped； remembering their leader's admonition to be cautious； and so did not say； I'm Kin Sop…ming； Smallpox Kin； and I'm one of the famous Werewolves and there are four of us。 〃Run along； old woman；〃 he said； tiring of her。 〃I've more important things to do than talk with you。〃
She got up and bowed and then her old eyes spotted the man who had been in the line in front of her。 The man was Cantonese； like her。 He was a rotund shopkeeper she knew who had a poultry street stall in one of Aberdeen's teeming marketplaces。 〃Yes；〃 she said hoarsely； 〃but if you want another customer I see an easy one。 He was in the queue before me。 Over 8；000 he withdrew。〃
〃Oh； where？ Where is he？〃 the youth asked at once。
〃For a 15 percent share？〃
〃7 … and that's final。 7！〃
〃All right。 7。 Look； over there！〃 she whispered。 〃The fat man； plump as a Mandarin； in the white shirt … the one who's sweating like he's just enjoyed the Clouds and the Rain！〃
〃I see him。〃 The youth got up and walked quickly away to intercept the man。 He caught up with him at the corner。 The man froze and bartered for a while； paid 16 percent and hurried off； blessing his own acumen。 The youth sauntered back to her。
〃Here； Old Woman；〃 he said。 〃The fornicator had 8；162。 16 percent is 。。。〃
〃1305。92 and my 7 percent of that is 91。41；〃 she said at once。
He paid her exactly and she agreed to e tomorrow to spot for him。
〃What's your name？〃 he asked。
〃Ah Su； Lord；〃 she said； giving a false name。 〃And yours？〃
〃Mo Wu…fang；〃 he said； using a friend's name。
〃Until tomorrow；〃 she said happily。 Thanking him again she waddled off； delighted with her day's profit。
His profit had been good too。 Now he had over 3；000 in his pockets where this morning he had had only enough for the bus。 And it was all windfall for he had e to Aberdeen from Glessing's Point to post another ransom note to Noble House Chen。
〃It's for safety；〃 his father； their leader； had said。 〃To put out a false scent for the fornicating police。〃
〃But it will bring no money；〃 he had said to him and to the others disgustedly。 〃How can we produce the fornicating son if he's dead and buried？ Would you pay off without some proof that he was alive？ Of course not！ It was a mistake to hit him with the shovel。〃
〃But the fellow was trying to escape！〃 his brother said。
〃True； Younger Brother。 But the first blow didn't kill him； only bent his head a little。 You should have left it at that！〃
〃I would have but the evil spirits got into me so I hit him again。 I only hit him four times！ Eeeee； but these highborn fellows have soft skulls！〃
〃Yes； you're right；〃 his father had said。 He was short and balding with many gold teeth； his name Kin Min…ta； Baldhead Kin。 〃Dew neh loh moh but it's done so there's no point in remembering it。 Joss。 It was his own fault for trying to escape！ Have you seen the early edition of The Times？〃
〃No … not yet； Father；〃 he had replied。
〃Here； let me read it to you： 'The Chief of all the Police said today that they have arrested a triad who they suspect is one of the Werewolves； the dangerous gang of criminals who kidnapped John Chen。 The authorities expect to have the case solved any moment。' 〃
They all laughed； he； his younger brother； his father and the last member； his very good friend； Dog…eared Chen … Pun Po Chen … for they knew it was all lies。 Not one of them was a triad or had triad connections； and none had ever been caught for any crime before； though they had formed their own Brotherhood and his father had； from time to time； run a small gambling syndicate in North Point。 It was his father who had proposed the first kidnapping。 Eeee； that was very clever； he thought； remembering。 And when John Chen had； unfortunately； had himself killed because he stupidly tried to escape； his father had also suggested cutting off the ear and sending it。 〃We will turn his bad joss into our good。 'Kill one to terrify ten thousand！' Sending the ear will terrify all Hong Kong； make us famous and make us rich！〃
Yes； he thought； sitting in the sun at Aberdeen。 But we haven't made our riches yet。 Didn't I tell father this morning： 〃I don't mind going all the way to post the letter； Father； that's sensible and what Humphrey Bogart would order。 But I still don't think it will bring us any ransom。〃
〃Never mind and listen！ I've a new plan worthy of Al Capone himself。 We wait a few days。 Then we phone Noble House Chen。 If we don't get immediate cash； then we snatch the pradore himself！ Great Miser Chen himself！〃 They had all stared at him in awe。
〃Yes； and if you don't think he'll pay up quickly after seeing his son's ear … of course we'll tell him it was his son's ear 。。。 perhaps we'll even dig up the body and show him； heya？〃
Smallpox Kin beamed； recalling how they had all chortled。 Oh how they had chortled； holding their bellies； almost rolling on the floor of their tenement apartment。
〃Now to business。 Dog…eared Chen； we need your advice again。〃 Dog…eared Chen was a distant cousin of John Chen and worked for him as a manager of one of the multitudinous Chen panies。 〃Your information about the son was perfect。 Perhaps you can supply us with the father's movements too？〃