JosephChandler,owneroftheTatlowPotteriesisinseriousfinancialtroubleandisabouttobecloseddownbyhiscreditors,whichwillmeantheruinofthesmalltown.CyrusBlenkarn,anemployee,hasdiscoveredanewtransparentglazethatwillrevolutionizetheindustry,whichChandlerpayshimfiftypoundfor,usesittonewfundingfromhiscreditors,andtakesallthecreditforbeingthesaviorofthetown.Blenkarnvowsrevengeanditcomes,viaadiscoveryinSouthAfrica.