"A cold fact," said Dorns. "We know you're square; that's why we're holdin' nothing back. Give Armstrong a hearing--that's all I ask. If you're still satisfied he's a crook, then go ahead; we'll never bleat a word about this bribery thing. But, if ye don't so much as give us a show for our white alley, I'll raise hell's roof with it! Yes or no, me lad?" Windsor drew a deep breath, realizing that Dorns meant every word, and assented. "All right. Bring him in. Are you acting with him, for him?" "Nope. I'm listening with him, that's all. I know he's on the level." Dorns turned to the door. The gaze of Windsor followed him in puzzled and startled surmise, provoked by those final curt words. When Armstrong came in, Windsor was seated at his desk, and looked up with a brief nod of greeting; he was once more himself, and motioned silently to chairs. Both men sat down. "What is it you want?" asked Windsor, steadily regarding Armstrong. "A chance to show that whatever charges you hold against me are fraudulent." Windsor swung his chair around, took a cigar from his pocket, and lighted it. For a moment he looked through the window with unseeing eyes, collecting his thoughts; then he swung about again, and faced Armstrong. "You have a job ahead," he said ominously. "I'm going after you because you obtained a license to market that stock issue of the Deming Company in this state--and obtained it by fraud and perjury and conspiracy. Is that enough?" Armstrong looked incredulous. "Enough? You don't mean to say that that's the basis of this affair?" Windsor merely nodded, studying his antagonist through the cigar smoke. Armstrong caught his breath as the tension snapped within him, and broke into a laugh. "Good Lord, Windsor! That's the simplest thing on earth to answer. When the license was obtained, I had no connection with that company; it was obtained by the previous directorate, before we took over Deming's plant!" Windsor smiled thinly. "Sure," he said. "Armstrong, when I called you a crook in New York--if you got my message--I meant the words. I still mean them. I expected exactly that answer from you. It merely confirms my opinion. You're clever, but in this case I have the goods on you." Armstrong was irritated. "By Macgowan's aid?" "Not a bit of it." Windsor in turn showed a temptation to anger, but held himself in check. "He had nothing to do with it. The proofs of your crookedness were obtained by me alone. Macgowan's own cousin, Ried Williams, is involved in the conspiracy." Armstrong stifled his resentment. He was startled, alert, battle-cleared. "Very well," he said crisply. "Since you already know that I had no connection with that stock issue, except to market it later on, what the devil is there against me?" Windsor smiled genially.