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Dr Ma winced Apparently this was not hoanted to transmit this information to the Millers However, they showed neither concern nor shock, which seee to Hulan

“Brian was one of my students,” Stuart inforraduate students to do archaeological work in China”

“Why?” Hulan asked

“He’s a rapacious collector,” his daughter boasted “Absolutely rapacious”

“I like fine things” Stuart’s smile didn’t break for an instant, but then he hadn’t becohts or emotions

Catherine’s laugh floated out like bubbles

“Cat,” her father warned

“You can’t take antiquities out of the country,” David pointed out

>

Stuart rubbed his forearm “I know that But as you’ll see, everyone here expects the worst of me because I’m a capitalist The truth is, I support a lot of the archaeological work that’s being done on the river We’ve got to save as much as we can before it disappears forever”

“That’s pretty altruistic—”

“If it’s true, you ed, and the businesss out of the ground, but I can’t get theet out some other way and are put up for sale at public auction, what can I do? I’m a collector If the docu I like”

A loud bell sounded, followed by the clank of shovels and picks being dropped The day workers walked down the hill The people who’d been crouching under the canopies stretched their legs, brushed the dirt off their clothes, and also began wandering down the hill

“Lunch,” Ma explained, eager to break up the conversation “Cohter should be first in line” Ma led his two guests toward an open-sided tent down by the river

“He seeeable but awfully territorial,” David said after the threesome set off