"You say the thing is a violation of the law?" asked Barbara, going straight to the marrow of the matter after her uniform fashion.
"In effect, yes. I am not sure that it could be called a positive violation of law—it is so well hedged about with little fictions and pretenses—but it is plainly an evasion, and one which might get the bank into trouble with the authorities at Washington."
"You mean that it is something which the law intends to forbid?"
"Yes. It is in violation of the spirit of the law."
"Then I don't see why you should have any doubt as to what you ought to do."
"It is only that under the circumstances, if I press Tandy and call in these loans, it might look like an unworthy indulgence in spite on my part."
"I think you have no right to consider that. You have taken an oath to obey the law in the conduct of the bank, and——"
"How did you know that, Barbara?"
The girl flushed and hesitated. At last she said:
"I've been reading the national banking laws."