Ephraim Tutt bowed low.
"A thousand pardons, Your Honor! My emotions swept me away! I most humbly apologize! But when this witness so unblushingly confesses how he played the scoundrel's part, aged case hardened practitioner as I am, my heart cries out against such infamous treachery—"
Bang! went the judge's gavel.
"You are only making it worse!" declared the court severely. "Proceed with your examination."
"Very well, Your Honor!" replied Mr. Tutt, his lips trembling with well-simulated indignation. "Now, sir, who instigated this miserable deception—I beg Your Honor's pardon! Who put you up to this game—I mean, this course of conduct?"
"Nobody," replied Brown in a surly tone.
"Did you ever hear of the United Association of Veterinaries of the Greater City of New York—sometimes referred to as The Horse Leeches' Union?" asked Mr. Tutt insinuatingly.
Mr. Brown hesitated.
"I've heard of some such organization," he admitted. "But I never heard it was called a Horse Leeches' Union."
"Didn't one of its officers come to you and say that unless something was done to reduce competition they'd have to go out of business—owing to the decrease in horses in New York?"