the efficiency expert-第13部分

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uff　that　this　burg　ever　saw。〃

〃Forget　it；〃　admonished　Jimmy。

〃What　are　you　going　to　do　now？〃　asked　the　Lizard。

〃Go　out　and　hunt　for　another　job；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Well；　I　wish　you　luck；〃　said　the　Lizard。

〃Maybe　I　can　find　something　for　you。　　I'll　try；　and　in　the　mean　time　if　you　need　any　mazuma　I　always　got　a　little　roll　tucked　away　in　my　sock。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃and　I　don't　mind　telling　you　that　you're　the　one　man　I　know　whom　I'd　just　as　soon　borrow　from　and　would　like　the　opportunity　of　loaning　to。　You　say　that　you　can't　understand　me；　and　yet　you're　a　whole　lot　more　of　an　enigma　yourself！　You　admit；　in　fact；　you're　inclined　to　boast；　that　you're　a　pickpocket　and　a　safe…blower　and　yet　I'd　trust　you；　Lizard；　with　anything　that　I　had。〃

The　Lizard　smiled；　and　for　the　first　time　since　he　had　known　him　Jimmy　noticed　that　his　eyes　smiled　with　his　lips。

〃I've　always　had　the　reputation；〃　said　the　Lizard；　〃of　being　a　white　guy　with　my　friends。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　I　ain't　no　different　from　what　you'd　probably　be　if　you　were　in　business　and　what　most　of　your　friends　are。　Morally　they're　a　bunch　of　thieves　and　crooks。　Of　course；　they　don't　go　out　and　frisk　any　one　and　they　don't　work　with　a　jimmy　or　a　bottle　of　soup。　They　work　their　graft　with　the　help　of　contracts　and　lawyers；　and　they'd　gyp　a　friend　or　a　pauper　almost　as　soon　as　they　would　an　enemy。　I　don't　know　much　about　morality；　but　when　it　comes　right　down　to　a　question　of　morals　I　believe　my　trade　is　just　as　decent　as　that　of　a　lot　of　these　birds　you　see　rolling　up　and　down　Mich　Boul　in　their　limousines。〃

〃It's　all　in　the　point　of　view；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Yes；〃　said　the　Lizard。　　〃It's　all　in　the　point　of　view；　and　my　point　of　view　ain't　warped　by　no　college　education。〃

Jimmy　grinned。　　〃Eventually；　Lizard；　you　may　win　me　over；　but　when　you　do　why　fritter　away　our　abilities　upon　this　simple　village　when　we　have　the　capitals　of　all　Europe　to　play　around　in？〃

〃There's　something　in　that；〃　said　the　Lizard；　〃but　don't　get　it　into　your　head　for　a　minute　that　I　am　tryin'　to　drag　you　from　the　straight　and　narrow。　I　think　I　like　you　better　the　way　you　are。〃

〃Did　you　ever；〃　said　Harriet　Holden；　〃see　anything　so　weird　as　the　way　we　keep　bumping　into　that　stocking…counter　young　man？〃

〃No；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃it's　commencing　to　get　on　my　nerves。　　Every　time　I　turn　a　corner　now　I　expect　to　bump　into　him。　I　suppose　we　see　other　people　many　times　without　recognizing　them；　but　he　is　so　utterly　good…looking　that　he　sort　of　sticks　in　one's　memory。〃

〃Do　you　know；〃　said　Harriet；　〃that　I　have　a　suspicion　that　he　recognized　us。　I　saw　him　looking　up　at　us　just　after　that　other　person　knocked　him　down　and　I　could　have　sworn　that　he　blushed。　And　then；　you　know；　he　went　in　and　was　entirely　different　from　what　he　had　been　in　the　two　preceding　rounds。　Billy　said　that　he　is　really　a　wonderful　fighter；　and　there　are　not　very　many　good　fights　that　Billy　misses。　What　in　the　world　do　you　suppose　his　profession　is　anyway？　Since　we　first　noticed　him　he　has　been　a　hosiery　clerk；　a　waiter；　and　a　prize…fighter。〃

〃I　don't　know；　I　am　sure；〃　said　Eliza　beth；　yawning。　　〃You　seem　to　be　terribly　interested　in　him。〃

〃I　am；〃　admitted　Harriet　frankly。　　〃He's　a　regular　adventure　all　in　himselfa　whole　series　of　adventures。〃

〃I've　never　been　partial　to　serials；〃　said　Elizabeth。

〃Well；　I　should　think　one　would　be　a　relief　after　a　whole　winter　of　heavy　tragedy；　〃retorted　Harriet。

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Elizabeth。

〃Oh；　I　mean　Harold；　of　course；〃　said　Harriet。　　〃He's　gone　around　all　winter　with　a　grouch　and　a　face　a　mile　long。　What's　the　matter　with　him　anyway？〃

〃I　don't　know；〃　sighed　Elizabeth。　　〃I'm　afraid　he's　working　too　hard。〃

Harriet　giggled。

〃Oh；　fiddlesticks！　　〃she　exclaimed。　　〃You　know　perfectly　well　that　Harold　Bince　will　never　work　himself　to　death。〃

〃Well；　he　is　working　hard；　Harriet。　　Father　says　so。　　And　he's　worrying　about　the　business；　too。　He's　trying　so　hard　to　make　good。〃

〃I　will　admit　that　he　has　stuck　to　his　job　more　faithfully　than　anybody　expected　him　to。〃

Elizabeth　turned　slowly　upon　her　friend；　〃You　don't　like　Harold；〃　she　said；　〃why　is　it？〃

Harriet　shook　her　head。

〃I　do　like　him；　Elizabeth；　for　your　sake。　　I　suppose　the　trouble　is　that　I　realize　that　he　is　not　good　enough　for　you。　I　have　known　him　all　my　life；　and　even　as　a　little　child　he　was　never　sincere。　Possibly　he　has　changed　now。　I　hope　so。　And　then　again　I　know　as　well　as　you　do　that　you　are　not　in　love　with　him。〃

〃How　perfectly　ridiculous！〃　cried　Elizabeth。　　〃Do　you　suppose　that　I　would　marry　a　man　whom　I　didn't　love？〃

〃You　haven't　the　remotest　idea　what　love　is。　　You've　never　been　in　love。〃

〃Have　you？〃　asked　Elizabeth。

〃No；〃　replied　Harriet；　〃I　haven't；　but　I　know　the　symptoms　and　you　certainly　haven't　got　one　of　them。　Whenever　Harold　isn't　going　to　be　up　for　dinner　or　for　the　evening　you're　always　relieved。　Possibly　you　don't　realize　it　yourself；　but　you　show　it　to　any　one　who　knows　you。〃

〃Well；　I　do　love　him；〃　insisted　Elizabeth；　〃and　I　intend　to　marry　him。　　I　never　had　any　patience　with　this　silly；　love…sick　business　that　requires　people　to　pine　away　when　they　are　not　together　and　bore　everybody　else　to　death　when　they　were。〃

〃All　of　which　proves；〃　said　Harriet；　〃that　you　haven't　been　stung　yet；　and　I　sincerely　hope　that　you　may　never　be　unless　it　happens　before　you　marry　Harold。〃




CHAPTER　XIV。

IN　AGAINOUT　AGAIN。

Jimmy　Torrance　was　out　of　a　job　a　week　this　time；　and　once　more　he　was　indebted　to　the　Lizard　for　a　position；　the　latter　knowing　a　politician　who　was　heavily　interested　in　a　dairy　company；　with　the　result　that　Jimmy　presently　found　himself　driving　a　milk…wagon。　Jimmy's　route　was　on　the　north　side；　which　he　regretted；　as　it　was　in　the　district　where　a　number　of　the　friends　of　his　former　life　resided。　His　delivery　schedule；　however；　and　the　fact　that　his　point　of　contact　with　the　homes　of　his　customers　was　at　the　back　door　relieved　him　of　any　considerable　apprehension　of　being　discovered　by　an　acquaintance。

His　letters　home　were　infrequent；　for　he　found　that　his　powers　of　invention　were　being　rapidly　depleted。　It　was　difficult　to　write　glowing　accounts　of　the　business　success　he　was　upon　the　point　of　achieving　on　the　strength　of　any　of　the　positions　he　so　far　had　held；　and　doubly　so　during　the　far　greater　period　that　he　had　been　jobless　and　hungry。　But　he　had　not　been　able　to　bring　himself　to　the　point　of　admitting　to　his　family　his　long　weeks　of　consistent　and　unrelieved　failure。

Recently　he　had　abandoned　his　futile　attempts　to　obtain　positions　through　the　medium　of　the　Help　Wanted　columns。

〃It　is　no　use；〃　he　thought。　　〃There　must　be　something　inherently　wrong　with　me　that　in　a　city　full　of　jobs　I　am　unable　to　land　anything　without　some　sort　of　a　pull　and　then　only　work　that　any　unskilled　laborer　could　perform。〃

The　truth　of　the　matter　was　that　Jimmy　Torrance　was　slowly　approaching　that　mental　condition　that　is　aptly　described　by　the　phrase；　〃losing　your　grip；〃　one　of　the　symptoms　of　which　was　the　fact　that　he　was　almost　contented　with　his　present　job。

He　had　driven　for　about　a　week　when；　upon　coming　into　the　barn　after　completing　his　morning　delivery；　he　was　instructed　to　take　a　special　order　to　a　certain　address　on　Lake　Shore　Drive。　Although　the　address　was　not　that　of　one　of　his　regular　customers　he　felt　that　there　was　something　vaguely　familiar　about　it；　but　when　he　finally　arrived　he　realized　that　it　was　a　residence　at　which　he　had　never　before　called。

Driving　up　the　alley　Jimmy　stopped　in　the　rear　of　a　large　and　pretentious　home；　and　entering　through　a　gateway　in　a　high　stone　wall　he　saw　that　the　walk　to　the　rear　entrance　bordered　a　very　delightful　garden。　He　realized　what　a　wonderfully　pretty　little　spot　it　must　be　in　the　summer　time；　with　its　pool　and　fountain　and　tree…shaded　benches；　its　vine…covered　walls　and　artistically　arranged　shrubs；　and　it　recalled　to　Jimmy　with　an　accompanying　sigh　the　homes　in　which　he　had　visited　in　what　seemed　now　a　remote　past；　and　also　of　his　own　home　in　the　West。

On　the　alley　in　one　corner　of　the　property　stood　a　garage　and　stable；　in　which　Jimmy　could　see　men　working　upon　the　owner's　cars　and　about　the　box…stalls　of　his　saddle　horses。　At　the　sight　of　the　horses　Jimmy　heaved　another　sigh　as　he　continued　his　way　to　the　rear　entrance。　As　he　stood　waiting　for　a　reply　to　his　summons　he　glanced　back　at　the　stable　to　see　that　horses　had　just　entered　and　that　their　riders　were　dismounting；　evidently　two　of　the　women　of　the　household；　and　then　a　houseman　opened　the　door　and　Jimmy　made　his　delivery　and　started　to　retrace　his　steps　to　his　wagon。

Approaching　him　along　the　walk　from　the　stable　were　the　riderstwo　young　women；　laughing　and　talking　as　they　approached　the　house；　and　suddenly　Jimmy；　in　his　neat　white　suit；　carrying　his　little　tray　of　milk…bottles；　recognized　them；　and　instantly　there　flashed　into　recollection　the　address　that　Harriet　Holden　had　given　him　that　night　at　Feinheimer's。

〃What　infernal　luck；〃　he　groaned　inwardly；　〃I　suppose　the　next　time　I　see　that　girl　I'll　be　collecting　garbage　from　her　back　door。〃　And　then；　with　his　eyes　straight　to　the　front；　he　stepped　aside　to　let　the　two　pass。

It　was　Harriet　Holden　who　recognized　him　first；　and　stopped　with　a　little　exclamation　of　surprise。　Jimmy　stopped；　too。　There　was　nothing　else　that　a　gentleman　might　do；　although　he　would　have　given　his　right　hand　to　have　been　out　of　the　yard。

〃You　never　came　to　the　house　as　I　asked　you　to；〃　said　Miss　Holden　reproachfully。　〃We　wanted　so　much　to　do　something　to　repay　you　for　your　protection　that　night。〃

〃There　was　no　use　in　my　coming；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃for；　you　see；　I　couldn't　have　accepted　anything　for　what　I　didI　couldn't　very　well　have　done　anything　else；　could　I；　under　the　circumstances？〃

〃There　were　many　other　men　in　the　place；〃　replied　Harriet；　〃but　you　were　the　only　one　who　came　to　our　help。〃

〃But　the　others　were　not…〃　Jimmy　been　upon　the　point　of　saying　gentlemen；　but　then　he　happened　to　think　that　in　the　eves　of　these　two　girls；　and　according　to　their　standard；　he　might　not　be　a　gentleman；　either。　〃Well；　you　see；〃　he　continued　lamely；　〃they　probably　didn't　know　who