sheep at a sitting; without field, glasses I can count the number of
head in a herd of springbok at a distance of two miles, and Candy who
knows about these things made no complaint about my stamina. I am not
yet old.
Apart from these things I have a son who belongs to me (and a son and a
daughter who do not). Although I have lost the best of them, I have
friends, perhaps more friends than enemies.
But as important as any of these is the purpose and direction I have at
last achieved. I know what I want. My course is plotted and the wind
stands fair.
These are my assets. These are mine to use and enjoy.
What are my liabilities? Borrowed money, the hatred of a brother and a
son, and Ruth.
Ruth is gone! Ruth is gone! clattered the crossties under the coach.
Ruth is gone! Ruth is gone! They mocked him.
Sean scowled and forcibly changed the words in his mind.
'The wind is fair! The wind is fair!'
Over the months that followed Sean used his whole energy in the
development of Lion Kop. He planned the cutting of his standing bark
and decided to reap one, third of it a year before maturity, and
another third in each of the subsequent two years.
To replace it he used his two thousand pounds not to pay off his loans,
but to plant the rest of his land to wattle. When this was done he had
to keep busy. He bought himself a theodolite and a book of instruction
in elementary survey, and mapped his lands, laid out his block of
trees, pegged new roads for access to his plantations when the cutting
began Once again he had nothing to do, so he went to see Dennis
Petersen and spent a long day arguing the purchase of Mahobo's Kloof
Ranch on which he had bought an option. He had no cash, and Jackson at
Natal Wattle baulked at the suggestion of further loans. When Dennis
refused to consider extended terms of payment, Sean called on Ronny Pye
at the Ladyburg Banking & Trust. It was a forlorn chance and Sean was
genuinely surprised when Ronny gave him a cup of coffee and a cigar,
then listened politely to his proposition.
'You're putting it all on one horse, Sean,' Ronny warned him.
'Theres only one horse in this race. it can't lose.'
'Very well.' Ronny nodded. 'Here's what I will do with you. I will
advance you the full purchase price of Mahobo's plus a further ten
thousand pounds to develop it. In return , you will give me a first
bond on Mahobo's Kloof, and a second bond on Lion Kop after Natal
Wattle Company's loan.
' Sean took it. A week later Ronny Pye called on Jackson in
Pietermaritzburg. After the preliminary sparring Ronny asked him: are
you quite happy about those Notes you have out to Courtney?'
'The security is good. ' Jackson hesitated. 'But he seems to be going
a little wild.
'I might be willing to take them Over from you,' Ronny hinted
delicately, and Jackson rubbed his nose thoughtfully to mask his
relief.
Happily Sean flung his army of Zulus at the virgin grassland of
