"Yes." Armstrong chuckled at the memory. "About the National Reduction Company which Consolidated has undertaken to finance. You certainly called a spade a spade, Sessions! And right, too; this private graft of Findlater's is bound to be a failure, so far as the stockholders are concerned." "Findlater will file suit to-morrow for a hundred thousand in damages, also asking punitive damages. Libel." Armstrong grunted sarcastically. "Let him file! It's all he can do to save his face, judge. I'll guarantee to pay all the damages he'll ever collect, too." "Oh, the suit will never go to trial." Sessions took up a telegram. "But see here, Armstrong! This is what we called you in for. We'll have bad news to send out next week." Armstrong took the message and read it. The attorney general of the state had refused to institute suit for removal of Findlater and Macgowan. At the hearing, a certain lawyer famed for his political affiliations--not named in the telegram--had obtained the dismissal of the action, on the technical ground that Consolidated Securities had been organized under the laws of South Dakota; and therefore being a foreign corporation, was not amenable to the New York jurisdiction. "Check," said Armstrong quietly, giving no sign of his disappointment. "Well, we were warned that we were up against politics! You can make capital of this, Sessions. The dismissal is purely technical and does not clear Macgowan. This simply saves them from producing the books--play up their refusal to stand investigation! They're not vindicated by this; they're merely relieved." While still speaking, he was summoned to the telephone. He sat down at a desk near by. "Armstrong? Robert Dorns on the wire. Say, Findlater and Macgowan have quarreled; it don't amount to much, but it's a symptom. Do you know a fellow over there named Henderson?" "Yes. Assistant treasurer of Consolidated. A good man, too. What about him?" "I think he'd like to quit his job. Suppose we make him an offer if he'll quit and bring his copies of records--" "See here, Dorns, none of that!" snapped Armstrong angrily, while the committee eyed him in startled wonder. "I'll not pay out one cent of bribery for anything--and I don't think Henderson is the sort who'd take a bribe. Did he suggest that?" "No. I thought it up all by my own little self, me lad. S'pose we pry him loose?" "All right. In that case, I can use him here. He can give us more inside dope on Consolidated's doings than any one else. But not a cent for bribery, understand! If Henderson would take any money for coming over here, I'd not have him and I'd not trust him. We just had word from Mansfield. The suit is dismissed on technical grounds." "Political, you mean. All right. So long." Armstrong swung around to meet the intent gaze of Judge Holcomb. "Henderson is leaving Consolidated?" "Dorns thinks he can be persuaded to leave."