"Yes--all of that, and it will be worth more presently under Duncan's management. What a fellow that is, anyhow!"
"I imagine Tandy thinks so by this time."
As there was no other bank in Cairo, and nobody else who could make a loan such as Tandy must have on the instant, he was simply compelled to make the sale on Hallam's own terms.
With Hallam's check in hand, he hurried to the X National, arriving there just in time to meet Guilford Duncan's demand.
Duncan received the check in the bank parlor, again insisting that Leftwich should be present at the interview.
"I'll take that paper, if you please," Tandy said, holding out his hand for it.
"Not until you shall have adjusted the other matter. The bank's books show that, while you were still president of the institution, you made a loan of thirty thousand dollars to yourself, on your unsecured note, without even an endorsement. You know that in doing so, you violated the law you were sworn to obey and enforce. With that I do not now concern myself. What I ask is that you secure the bank for that loan, which still stands. When that is done, Mr. Leftwich will return this paper to you. In the meanwhile, I place it in his hands."
"Really, Mr. Duncan"--for since the early part of that morning's interview, Tandy had not ventured again upon the familiarity of addressing Duncan without the "Mr."--"really, Mr. Duncan, you are pressing me too hard. You must give me a few days----"
"How can I? The law would hold me at fault if I should allow the bank to close to-day with that loan unsecured. I have no right to give you time."
"No, I am not. If I were minded to do that, I should call the loan in at once. As it is, I only ask you--as I must--to secure it as the law requires. I will accept any fairly good collateral you may have to offer. There is surely no hardship in that--no persecution in demanding that you shall temporarily leave with the bank enough of the bonds or stock certificates that you hold in plenty, to comply with the law concerning loans by national banks. I have simply no choice but to insist upon that."
"But I tell you," answered Tandy, "that at present I have no bonds or stocks conveniently available for such a purpose."