Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon

When they had finished eating, Van der Merwe said, “That was fine, Daughter,” and there was pride in his voice. He turned to Jamie. “We get down to business, ja?”

“Yes, sir.”

Van der Merwe picked up a long clay pipe from the top of the wooden cabinet. He filled it with a sweet-smelling tobacco from a small pouch and lighted the pipe. His sharp eyes peered intently at Jamie through the wreaths of smoke.

“The diggers here at Klipdrift are fools. Too few diamonds, too many diggers. A man could break his back here for a year and have nothing to show for it but schlenters.”

“I—I’m afraid I’m not familiar with that word, sir.”

“Fools’ diamonds. Worthless. Do you follow me?”

“I—Yes, sir. I think so. But what’s the answer, sir?”

“The Griquas.”

Jamie looked at him blankly.

“They’re an African tribe up north. They find diamonds—big ones—and sometimes they bring them to me and I trade them for goods.” The Dutchman lowered his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “I know where they find them.”

“But could you nae go after them yourself, Mr. van der Merwe?”

Van der Merwe sighed. “No. I can’t leave the store. People would steal me blind. I need someone I can trust to go up there and bring the stones back. When I find the right man, I’ll supply him with all the equipment he needs.” He paused to take a long drag on the pipe. “And I’ll tell him where the diamonds are.”

Jamie leaped to his feet, his heart pounding. “Mr. van der Merwe, I’m the person you’re looking for. Believe me, sir, I’ll work night and day.” His voice was charged with excitement. “I’ll bring you back more diamonds than you can count.”

Van der Merwe silently studied him for what seemed to Jamie to be an eternity. When Van der Merwe finally spoke, he said only one word. “Ja.”

 

 

Jamie signed the contract the following morning. It was written in Afrikaans.

“I’ll have to explain it to you,” Van der Merwe said. “It says we’re full partners. I put up the capital—you put up the labor. We share everything equally.”

Jamie looked at the contract in Van der Merwe’s hand. In the middle of all the incomprehensible foreign words he recognized only a sum: two pounds.

Jamie pointed to it. “What is that for, Mr. van der Merwe?”

“It means that in addition to your owning half the diamonds you find, you’ll get an extra two pounds for every week you work. Even though I know the diamonds are out there, it’s possible you might not find anything, lad. This way you’ll at least get something for your labor.”

The man was being more than fair. “Thank you. Thank you very much, sir.” Jamie could have hugged him.

Van der Merwe said, “Now let’s get you outfitted.”

 

 

It took two hours to select the equipment that Jamie would take into the bush with him: a small tent, bedding, cooking utensils, two sieves and a washing cradle, a pick, two shovels, three buckets and one change of socks and underwear. There was an ax and a lantern and paraffin oil, matches and arsenical soap. There were tins of food, biltong, fruit, sugar, coffee and salt. At last everything was in readiness. The black servant, Banda, silently helped Jamie stow everything into backpacks. The huge man never glanced at Jamie and never spoke one word. He doesn’t speak English, Jamie decided. Margaret was in the store waiting on customers, but if she knew Jamie was there, she gave no indication.

Van der Merwe came over to Jamie. “Your mule’s in front,” he said. “Banda will help you load up.”

“Thank you, Mr. van der Merwe,” Jamie said. “I—”

Van der Merwe consulted a piece of paper covered with figures. “That will be one hundred and twenty pounds.”

Jamie looked at him blankly. “W—what? This is part of our deal. We—”

“Wat bedui’di?” Van der Merwe’s thin face darkened with anger. “You expect me to give you all this, and a fine mule, and make you a partner, and give you two pounds a week on top of that? If you’re looking for something for nothing, you’ve come to the wrong place.” He began to unload one of the backpacks.