to the cutting,
personal questions. He cleared his throat. "I didn't make any
contributions. I wasn't asked. I was...."

"Do you have to ask for your own property, in this day and age?"
demanded Shirley. "When Father died, I was an heir to one half of what
he possessed: home, farm, bank, bonds, and money on hand. Very
properly, in the absence of the other heir, you took charge of the
property and managed the business. But on the return of the other heir
you made no accounting. In fact, you resented his interest in anything
connected with the business."

"When you returned from the war," said Carson, "we were approaching a
depression that grew to disastrous proportions. Banks are the first to
feel such a calamity. My whole time has been devoted to
curtailment--to restricting loans and seeking deposits. Truly, we
haven't earned a cent since the war ended."

"So that's the reason you bought the fancy, high-priced limousine and
gave several parties at the country club! That's the reason why you
maintain those luxurious quarters in Chicago! You were wanting to show
the public that...."

"Never mind what I was doing," interrupted Carson angrily. "It's what
you have done that is the matter under discussion, and we are getting
nowhere. We might as well adjourn."

"Not yet," demanded Shirley hastily. "Keep your seat. The show has now
reached the second act. Let's sit it out." It was Shirley who stood up
as Carson resumed his seat.

"Our family was always reticent. We avoided publicity; didn't want
Mister John Q. to know about our affairs. You surely remember how
reluctant our father was when it was found that his private bank must
be nationalized. One little share was issued to Aunt Carrie, one to
John Powell, his old, trusted employee, and he held the rest. He
didn't want the public to know about his private affairs.

"I think I inherited most of his secretive qualities," Shirley
continued. "I listened to a lot of rumors and then I began to
investigate. My findings lead to but one conclusion: you allied
yourself with gangsters in the hope of participating in their enormous
gains only to find that you are the biggest sucker on their list."

"I didn't favor anybody," said Carson hotly. "Our relations were
simply that of banker and customer."

"And to maintain cordial relations you deeded to them a fine but
isolated farm where, uninterrupted, they could produce 'rotgut' to
supply the entire Chicago area. Have you been