He was silent a moment andthen said, "I want to buy an island called Cinnidar from him. It's abouttwo hundred miles off the coast in the Indian Ocean."
"And why do you want tobuy this island?"
He hesitated again."Gold."
"You're mistaken,"Kartauk said instantly. "If there were gold on any island owned by theSavitsars, Abdar would have known about it. He's mad for gold and scoured theentire province for deposits."
"I'm not mistaken. It'sthere.A mountain of gold, the richest strike I've ever seen."
"Then why has no onefound it before?"
"It's not accessible. Themountain is on the north end of the island and sheer cliffs make it impossibleto breach from north, east, and west. A deep canyon over a hundred miles wideintersects the center of the island and cuts it off from the south."
Kartauk's brows roseskeptically. "It's impossible to get to but you know it's there?"
"I've seen it."
"How?" Jane asked.
"I believe I've saidenough for your purpose." Ruel smiled crookedly. "Now you know enoughto pique Abdar's interest in Cinnidar and destroy my plans if I betrayyou."
"If you're telling thetruth."
"He's telling thetruth," Kartauk said slowly, his gaze fastened on Ruel's face. "Tellme, have you ever heard the story of El Dorado?"
"Yes."
"That gold was supposedlyat the bottom of a fathomless lake. Your Cinnidar gold may prove just aselusive and your money wasted."
"Cinnidar is no ElDorado. If I can get the maharajah to sell me the island, I'll find a way toget the gold out."
Kartauk suddenly smiled."I hope you do. There can never be too much gold in the world forme."
"Since I'm laboring to provideyou with material for your art, I suppose you wouldn't consider waiving paymentfor your information?"
"Certainly not. If Abdarfinds out what you're trying to do, he'll undoubtedly cut your throat, and thenwhere would I be?" Kartauk turned to Jane. "So you must bring himhere for the next four days so I may capture his likeness while his neck'sstill intact."
"Unless you'd care togive me directions on how to get here," Ruel added.
"I'll bring you."
"I thought that would beyour choice," Ruel said. "You'd be much more comfortable out of therain in your cozy little bungalow."
"No, I wouldn't."She shivered and drew closer to the brazier. "Though it's much chillier inhere than out in that warm rain. This fire is dying down. We need more wood, LiSung."
"Soon. First you need todry off." Li Sung got up and limped toward the cot in the corner."I'll get a towel."
"I don't have time. I'vewasted half a day already," she said. "And when I get back toKasanpore, I need to go to the site and—"
"Make sure Patrick isdoing his job," Li Sung finished for her as he grabbed a towel and cameback toward her. "Do you intend to spy on him every day?"
"I'm not going to spy onhim. I want only to make sure the job is going smoothly and he knows everythingI've been doing."
"And that he is trulyworking and not sitting under a tree guzzling whiskey." He knelt besideher and brusquely wiped her face before shifting to a position behind her. Helifted her heavy braid and closed it between folds of the towel to dry it."It's a wasted effort. You can do little if he chooses that course."
"It's different thistime." She started to turn her head to look at him. "He reallyis—"
"Sit still. How can I drythis ugly hair if you keep swiveling your head about?"
