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your Honour, in r-round numbers. H-here are the s-sworn statements of the ac-accounts and the t-transfer of title to them. It is a v-vengeance, your Honour, you-you might say a d-divine v-vengeance on the b-b-bank's illegal b-business methods."

A burst of applause, quickly silenced by the officers, followed this.

The picturesque Nashville attorney began pleading against the off-set along lines of public policy. He said the admission of such an off-set would jeopardize every financial institution in the country; that eight per cent. was the recognized short-term banking rate, and to allow an off-set against a proper debt for all such claims a client could purchase would rock the finances of the nation.

Here Buckingham Stone drew down the Nashville attorney and whispered in his ear. Mr. Swikerd then continued, "Besides this point, your Honour, the greater part of these claims are out of date, and we plead the statute of limitations against them."

Norton interposed.

"N-no, your Honour, m-my client has a-arranged all th-that. H-he is going to p-pay his d-debt with the out-of-date claims, and c-c-collect the rest."

"Why, that's a damned outrage!" roared the Nashville attorney, quite beside himself.

"It r-redresses the wrongs of the p-people who have been v-victimized by t-that b-blood sucker there!" cried Norton, pointing at the banker.

"Redresses the people! The people!" sneered Swikerd in the height of irony. "This off-set will wipe out the entire capital stock of the Irontown Bank. It will hand it over in toto to that crooked trickster there!" He jabbed a finger at Railroad Jones. "Into the maw of that bloated toad of finance will fall the people's money! Redress the people! It will ruin hundreds of stockholders and thousands of depositors! Your Honour, it is impossible for you to allow such an iniquitous off-set!"