the efficiency expert-第18部分

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tter　advantage　with　five　less　men　than　formerly。　Just　in　this　one　thing　he　has　not　only　more　than　earned　his　salary；　but　is　really　paying　dividends　on　our　investment。〃

Bince　was　silent　for　a　moment。　　He　had　walked　to　the　window　and　was　looking　out　on　the　street　below；　then　he　turned　suddenly　toward　Compton。

〃Mr。　Compton；〃　he　said；　〃you　have　made　me　assistant　general　manager　here　and　now；　just　when　I　am　reaching　a　point　where　I　feel　I　can　accomplish　something；　you　are　practically　taking　the　authority　out　of　my　hands　and　putting　it　in　that　of　a　stranger。　I　feel　not　only　that　you　are　making　a　grave　mistake；　but　that　it　is　casting　a　reflection　on　my　work。　It　is　making　a　difference　in　the　attitude　of　the　men　toward　me　that　I　am　afraid　can　never　be　overcome；　and　consequently　while　lessening　my　authority　it　is　also　lessening　my　value　to　the　plant。　I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　drop　this　whole　idea。　As　assistant　general　manager；　I　feel　that　it　is　working　injury　to　the　organization；　and　I　hope　that　before　it　is　too　latethat；　in　fact；　immediately；　you　will　discharge　Torrance　and　drop　this　idea　of　getting　outsiders　to　come　in　and　install　a　new　accounting　system。〃

〃You're　altogether　too　sensitive；　Harold；〃　replied　Compton。　〃It　is　no　reflection　on　you　whatsoever。　The　system　under　which　we　have　been　working　is；　with　very　few　exceptions；　the　very　system　that　I　evolved　myself　through　years　of　experience　in　this　business。　If　there　is　any　reflection　upon　any　one　it　is　upon　me　and　not　you。　You　must　learn　to　realize；　if　you　do　not　already；　what　I　realizethat　no　one　is　infallible。　Just　because　the　system　is　mine　or　yours　we　must　not　think　that　no　better　system　can　be　devised。　I　am　perfectly　satisfied　with　what　Mr。　Torrance　is　doing；　and　I　agree　with　his　suggestion　that　we　employ　a　firm　of　accountants；　but　I　think　no　less　of　you　or　your　ability　on　that　account。〃

Bince　saw　that　it　was　futile　to　argue　the　matter　further。

〃Very　well；　sir；〃　he　said。　〃I　hope　that　I　am　mistaken　and　that　no　serious　harm　will　result。　When　do　you　expect　to　start　these　accountants　in？〃

〃Immediately；〃　replied　Compton。　　〃I　shall　get　in　touch　with　somebody　today。〃

Bince　shook　his　head　dubiously　as　he　returned　to　his　own　office。




CHAPTER　XIX。

PLOTTING。

The　following　Monday　Miss　Edith　Hudson　went　to　work　for　the　International　Machine　Company　as　Mr。　Compton's　stenographer。　Nor　could　the　most　fastidious　have　discovered　aught　to　criticize　in　the　appearance　or　deportment　of　Little　Eva。

The　same　day　the　certified　public　accountants　came。　　Mr。　Harold　Bince　appeared　nervous　and　irritable；　and　he　would　have　been　more　nervous　and　more　irritable　had　he　known　that　Jimmy　had　just　learned　the　amount　of　the　pay…check　from　Everett　and　that　he　had　discovered　that；　although　five　men　had　been　laid　off　and　no　new　ones　employed　since　the　previous　week；　the　payroll　check　was　practically　the　same　as　before　approximately　one　thousand　dollars　more　than　his　note…book　indicated　　it　should　be。

〃Phew！〃　whistled　Jimmy。　〃These　C。P。A。s　are　going　to　find　this　a　more　interesting　job　than　they　anticipated。　Poor　old　Compton！　I　feel　mighty　sorry　for　him；　but　he　had　better　find　it　out　now　than　after　that　grafter　has　wrecked　his　business　entirely。〃

That　afternoon　Mr。　Compton　left　the　office　earlier　than　usual；　complaining　of　a　headache；　and　the　next　morning　his　daughter　telephoned　that　he　was　ill　and　would　not　come　to　the　office　that　day。　During　the　morning　as　Bince　was　walking　through　the　shop　he　stopped　to　talk　with　Krovac。

Pete　Krovac　was　a　rat…faced　little　foreigner；　looked　upon　among　the　men　as　a　trouble…maker。　He　nursed　a　perpetual　grievance　against　his　employer　and　his　job；　and　whenever　the　opportunity　presented；　and　sometimes　when　it　did　not　present　itself；　he　endeavored　to　inoculate　others　with　his　dissatisfaction。　Bince　had　hired　the　man；　and　during　the　several　months　that　Krovac　had　been　with　the　company；　the　assistant　general　manager　had　learned　enough　from　other　workers　to　realize　that　the　man　was　an　agitator　and　a　troublemaker。　Several　times　he　had　been　upon　the　point　of　discharging　him；　but　now　he　was　glad　that　he　had　not；　for　he　thought　he　saw　in　him　a　type　that　in　the　light　of　present　conditions　might　be　of　use　to　him。

In　fact；　for　the　past　couple　of　weeks　he　had　been　using　the　man　in　an　endeavor　to　get　some　information　concerning　Torrance　and　his　methods　that　would　permit　him　to　go　to　Compton　with　a　valid　argument　for　Jimmy's　discharge。

〃Well；　Krovac；〃　he　said　as　be　came　upon　the　man；　〃is　Torrance　interfering　with　you　any　now？〃

〃He　hasn't　got　my　job　yet；〃　growled　the　other；　〃but　he's　letting　out　hard…working　men　with　families　without　any　reason。　The　first　thing　you　know　you'll　have　a　strike　on　your　hands。〃

〃I　haven't　heard　any　one　else　complaining；〃　said　Bince。　〃You　will；　though；〃　replied　Krovac。　〃They　don't　any　of　us　know　when　we　are　going　to　be　canned　to　give　Compton　more　profit；　and　men　are　not　going　to　stand　for　that　long。〃

〃Then；〃　said　Bince；　〃I　take　it　that　he　really　hasn't　interfered　with　you　much？〃

〃Oh；　he's　always　around　asking　a　lot　of　fool　questions；〃　said　Krovac。　　〃Last　week　he　asked　every　man　in　the　place　what　his　name　was　and　what　wages　he　was　getting。　Wrote　it　all　down　in　a　little　book。　I　suppose　he　is　planning　on　cutting　pay。〃

Bince's　eyes　narrowed。　　〃He　got　that　information　from　every　man　in　the　shop？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　replied　Krovac。

Bince　was　very　pale。　　He　stood　in　silence　for　some　minutes；　apparently　studying　the　man　before　him。　At　last　he　spoke。

〃Krovac；〃　he　said；　〃you　don't　like　this　man　Torrance；　do　you？〃

〃No；〃　said　the　other；　〃I　don't。〃

〃Neither　do　I；〃　said　Bince。　〃I　know　his　plans　even　better　than　you。　　This　shop　has　short　hours　and　good　pay；　but　if　we　don't　get　rid　of　him　it　will　have　the　longest　hours　and　lowest　pay　of　any　shop　in　the　city。〃

〃Well？〃　questioned　Krovac。

〃I　think；〃　said　Bince；　〃that　there　ought　to　be　some　way　to　prevent　this　man　doing　any　further　harm　here。〃

He　looked　straight　into　Krovac's　eyes。

〃There　is；〃　muttered　the　latter。

〃It　would　be　worth　something　of　course；〃　suggested　Bince。　〃How　much？〃　asked　Krovac。

〃Oh；　I　should　think　it　ought　to　be　worth　a　hundred　dollars；〃　replied　Bince。

Krovac　thought　for　a　moment。

〃I　think　I　can　arrange　it；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　would　have　to　have　fifty　now。〃

〃I　cannot　give　it　to　you　here；〃　said　Bince；　〃but　if　I　should　happen　to　pass　through　the　shop　this　afternoon　you　might　find　an　envelope　on　the　floor　beside　your　machine　after　I　have　gone。〃

The　following　evening　as　Jimmy　alighted　from　the　Indiana　Avenue　car　at　Eighteenth　Street；　two　men　left　the　car　behind　him。　He　did　not　notice　them；　although；　as　he　made　his　way　toward　his　boarding…house；　he　heard　footsteps　directly　in　his　rear；　and　suddenly　noting　that　they　were　approaching　him　rapidly；　he　involuntarily　cast　a　glance　behind　him　just　as　one　of　the　men　raised　an　arm　to　strike　at　him　with　what　appeared　to　be　a　short　piece　of　pipe。

Jimmy　dodged　the　blow　and　then　both　men　sprang　for　him。　　The　first　one　Jimmy　caught　on　the　point　of　the　chin　with　a　blow　that　put　its　recipient　out　of　the　fight　before　he　got　into　it；　and　then　his　companion；　who　was　the　larger；　succeeded　in　closing　with　the　efficiency　expert。　Inadvertently；　however；　he　caught　Jimmy　about　the　neck；　leaving　both　his　intended　victim's　arms　free　with　the　result　that　the　latter　was　able　to　seize　his　antagonist　low　down　about　the　body；　and　then　pressing　him　close　to　him　and　hurling　himself　suddenly　forward；　he　threw　the　fellow　backward　upon　the　cement　sidewalk　with　his　own　body　on　top。　With　a　resounding　whack　the　attacker's　head　came　in　contact　with　the　concrete；　his　arms　relaxed　their　hold　upon　Jimmy's　neck；　and　as　the　latter　arose　he　saw　both　his　assailants；　temporarily　at　least；　out　of　the　fighting。

Jimmy　glanced　hastily　in　both　directions。　　There　was　no　one　in　sight。　　His　boardinghouse　was　but　a　few　steps　away；　and　two　minutes　later　he　was　safe　in　his　room。

〃A　year　ago；〃　he　thought　to　himself；　smiling；　〃my　first　thought　would　have　been　to　have　called　in　the　police；　but　the　Lizard　has　evidently　given　me　a　new　view…point　in　regard　to　them；〃　for　the　latter　had　impressed　upon　Jimmy　the　fact　that　whatever　knowledge　a　policeman　might　have　regarding　one　was　always　acquired　with　the　idea　that　eventually　it　might　be　used　against　the　person　to　whom　it　pertained。

〃What　a　policeman　don't　know　about　you　will　never　hurt　you；〃　was　one　way　that　the　Lizard　put　it。

When　Jimmy　appeared　in　the　shop　the　next　morning　he　noted　casually　that　Krovac　had　a　cut　upon　his　chin；　but　he　did　not　give　the　matter　a　second　thought。　Bince　had　arrived　late。　His　first　question；　as　he　entered　the　small　outer　office　where　Mr。　Compton's　stenographer　and　his　worked；　was　addressed　to　Miss　Edith　Hudson。

〃Is　Mr。　Torrance　down　yet？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃he　has　been　here　some　time。　　Do　you　wish　to　see　him？〃

Edith　thought　that　the　〃No〃　which　he　snapped　at　her　was　a　trifle　more　emphatic　than　the　circumstances　seemed　to　warrant；　nor　could　she　help　but　notice　after　he　had　entered　his　office　the　vehement　manner　in　which　he　slammed　the　door。

〃I　wonder　what's　eating　him；〃　thought　Miss　Hudson　to　herself。　　〃Of　course　he　doesn't　like　Jimmy；　but　why　is　he　so　peeved　because　Jimmy　came　to　work　this　morningI　don't　quite　get　it。〃

Almost　immediately　Bince　sent　for　Krovac；　and　when　the　latter　came　and　stood　before　his　desk　the　assistant　general　manager　looked　up　at　him　questioningly。

〃Well？〃　he　asked。

〃Look　at　my　chin；〃　was　Krovac's　reply；　〃and　he　damn　near　killed　the　other　guy。〃

〃Maybe　you'll　have　better　luck　the　next　time；〃　growled　Bince。

〃There　ain't　goin'　to　be　no　next　time；〃　asserted　Krovac。　〃I　don't　tackle　that　guy　again。〃

Bince　held　out　his　hand。

〃All　right；〃　he　said；　〃you　might　return　the　fifty　then。〃

〃Return　nothin'；〃　growled　Krovac。　〃I　sure　done　fifty　dollars'　worth　last　night。〃

〃Come　on；〃　said　Bince；　〃hand　over　the　fifty。〃

〃Nothin'　doin'；〃　said　Krovac　with　an　angry　snarl。　　〃It　might　be　worth　another　fifty　to　you　to　know　that　I　wasn't　going　to　tell　old　man　Compton。〃

〃You　　damn　　scoundrel！〃　　exclaimed　Bince。

〃Don't　go　callin'　me　names；〃　admonished　Krovac。　　〃A　fellow　that　hires　another　to　croak　a　man　for　him