the efficiency expert-第22部分

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〃That's　funny；〃　commented　Compton。

〃I　was　certain　that　that　letter　was　here。　　Have　you　seen　anything　of　a　letter　from　Mosher。〃

〃No；　sir；〃　replied　Edith。

〃Well；　I　wish　you　would　step　into　Mr。　Bince's　office；　and　see　if　it　is　on　his　desk。〃

Upon　the　assistant　general　manager's　desk　lay　a　small　pile　of　papers；　face　down；　which　Edith　proceeded　to　examine　in　search　of　the　Mosher　letter。　She　had　turned　them　all　over　at　once；　commencing　at　what　had　previously　been　the　bottom　of　the　pile；　so　that　she　ran　through　them　all　without　finding　the　Mosher　letter　before　she　came　to　Murray's　epistle。

As　its　import　dawned　upon　her；　her　eyes　widened　at　first　in　surprise　and　then　narrowed　as　she　realized　the　value　of　her　discovery。　At　first　she　placed　the　letter　back　with　the　others　just　as　she　had　found　them；　but　on　second　thought　she　took　it　up　quickly　and；　folding　it；　slipped　it　inside　her　waist。　Then　she　returned　to　Compton's　office。

〃I　cannot　find　the　Mosher　letter；〃　she　said。




CHAPTER　XXIII。

LAID　UP。

Harriet　Holden　was　sitting　in　Elizabeth's　boudoir。　　〃And　he　had　the　effrontery；〃　the　latter　was　saying；　〃to　tell　me　what　I　must　do　and　must　not　do！　The　idea！　A　miserable　little　milk…wagon　driver　dictating　to　me！〃

Miss　Holden　smiled。

〃I　should　not　call　him　very　little；〃　she　remarked。

〃I　didn't　mean　physically；〃　retorted　Elizabeth。　　〃It　is　absolutely　insufferable。　I　am　going　to　demand　that　father　discharge　the　man。〃

〃And　suppose　he　asks　you　why？〃　asked　Harriet。　　〃You　will　tell　him；　of　course；　that　you　want　this　person　discharged　because　he　protected　you　from　the　insults　and　attacks　of　a　ruffian　while　you　were　dining　in　Feinheimer's　at　nightis　that　it？〃

〃You　are　utterly　impossible；　Harriet！〃　cried　Elizabeth；　stamping　her　foot。　〃You　are　as　bad　as　that　efficiency　person。　But；　then；　I　might　have　expected　it！　You　have　always；　it　seems　to　me；　shown　a　great　deal　more　interest　in　the　fellow　than　necessary；　and　probably　the　fact　that　Harold　doesn't　like　him　is　enough　to　make　you　partial　toward　him；　for　you　have　never　tried　to　hide　the　fact　that　you　don't　like　Harold。〃

〃If　you're　going　to　be　cross；〃　said　Harriet；　〃I　think　I　shall　go　home。〃

At　about　the　same　time　the　Lizard　entered　Feinheimer's。　　In　the　far　corner　of　the　room　Murray　was　seated　at　a　table。　The　Lizard　approached　and　sat　down　opposite　him。　〃Here　I　am；〃　he　said。　〃What　do　you　want；　and　how　did　you　know　I　was　in　town？〃

〃I　didn't　know；〃　said　Murray。　　〃I　got　a　swell　job　for　you；　and　so　I　sent　out　word　to　get　you。〃

〃You're　in　luck　then；〃　said　the　Lizard。　〃I　just　blew　in　this　morning。　　What　kind　of　a　job　you　got？〃

Murray　explained　at　length。

〃They　got　a　watchman；〃　he　concluded；　〃but　I've　got　a　guy　on　de　inside　that'll　fix　him。〃

〃When　do　I　pull　this　off？〃　asked　the　Lizard。

〃In　about　a　week。　　I'll　let　you　know　the　night　later。　　Dey　ordinarily　draw　the　payroll　money　Monday；　the　same　day　dey　pay；　but　dis　week　they'll　draw　it　Saturday　and　leave　it　in　the　safe。　It'II　be　layin'　on　top　of　a　hunch　of　books　and　papers。　Dey're　de　t'ings　you're　to　destroy。　As　I　told　you；　it　will　all　be　fixed　from　de　inside。　Dere's　no　danger　of　a　pinch。　All　you　gotta　do　is　crack　de　safe；　put　about　a　four　or　five　t'ousand　dollar　roll　in　your　pocket；　and　as　you　cross　de　river　drop　a　handful　of　books　and　papers　in。　Nothin'　to　itit's　the　easiest　graft　you　ever　had。〃

〃You're　sure　dat's　all？〃　asked　the　Lizard。

〃Sure　thing！〃　replied　Murray。

〃Where's　de　place？〃

〃Dat　I　can't　tell　you　until　the　day　we're　ready　to　pull　off　de　job。〃

At　four　o'clock　that　afternoon　Jimmy　Torrance　collapsed　at　his　desk。　　The　flu　had　struck　him　as　suddenly　and　as　unexpectedly　as　it　had　attacked　many　of　its　victims。　Edith　Hudson　found　him；　and　immediately　notified　Mr。　Compton；　with　the　result　that　half　an　hour　later　Jimmy　Torrance　was　in　a　small　private　hospital　in　Park　Avenue。

That　night　Bince　got　Murray　over　the　phone。　　He　told　him　of　Jimmy's　sickness。

〃He's　balled　up　the　whole　plan；〃　he　complained。　　〃We've　either　got　to　wait　until　he　croaks　or　is　out　again　before　we　can　go　ahead；　unless　something　else　arises　to　make　it　necessary　to　act　before。　I　think　I　can　hold　things　off；　though；　at　this　end；　all　right。〃

For　four　or　five　days　Jimmy　was　a　pretty　sick　man。　　He　was　allowed　to　see　no　one；　but　even　if　Jimmy　had　been　in　condition　to　give　the　matter　any　thought　he　would　not　have　expected　to　see　any　one；　for　who　was　there　to　visit　him　in　the　hospital；　who　was　there　who　knew　of　his　illness；　to　care　whether　he　was　sick　or　well；　alive　or　dead？　It　was　on　the　fifth　day　that　Jimmy　commenced　to　take　notice　of　anything。　At　Compton's　orders　he　had　been　placed　in　a　private　room　and　given　a　special　nurse；　and　to…day　for　the　first　time　he　learned　of　Mr。　Compton's　kindness　and　the　fact　that　the　nurse　was　instructed　to　call　Jimmy's　employer　twice　a　day　and　report　the　patient's　condition。

〃Mighty　nice　of　him；〃　thought　Jimmy；　and　then　to　the　nurse：　〃And　the　flowers；　too？　Does　he　send　those？〃

The　young　woman　shook　her　head　negatively。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃a　young　lady　comes　every　evening　about　six　and　leaves　the　flowers。　She　always　asks　about　your　condition　and　when　she　may　see　you。〃

Jimmy　was　silent　for　some　time。　　〃She　comes　every　evening？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　replied　the　nurse。

〃May　I　see　her　this　evening？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃We'll　ask　the　doctor；〃　she　replied；　and　the　doctor　must　have　given　consent；　for　at　six　o'clock　that　evening　the　nurse　brought　Edith　Hudson　to　his　bedside。

The　girl　came　every　evening　thereafter　and　sat　with　Jimmy　as　long　as　the　nurse　would　permit　her　to　remain。　Jimmy　discovered　during　those　periods　a　new　side　to　her　character；　a　mothering　tenderness　that　filled　him　with　a　feeling　of　content　and　happiness　the　moment　that　she　entered　the　room；　and　which　doubtless　aided　materially　in　his　rapid　convalescence；　for　until　she　had　been　permitted　to　see　him　Jimmy　had　suffered　as　much　from　mental　depression　as　from　any　other　of　the　symptoms　of　his　disease。

He　had　felt　utterly　alone　and　uncared　for；　and　in　this　mental　state　he　had　brooded　over　his　failures　to　such　an　extent　that　he　had　reached　a　point　where　he　felt　that　death　would　be　something　of　a　relief。　Militating　against　his　recovery　had　been　the　parting　words　of　Elizabeth　Compton　the　evening　that　he　had　dined　at　her　father's　home；　but　now　all　that　was　very　nearly　forgottenat　least　crowded　into　the　dim　vistas　of　recollection　by　the　unselfish　friendship　of　this　girl　of　the　streets。

Jimmy's　nurse　quite　fell　in　love　with　Edith。

〃She　is　such　a　sweet　girl；〃　she　said；　〃and　always　so　cheerful。　　She　is　going　to　make　some　one　a　mighty　good　wife。〃　and　she　smiled　knowingly　at　Jimmy。

The　suggestion　which　her　words　implied　came　to　Jimmy　as　a　distinct　shock。　He　had　never　thought　of　Edith　Hudson　in　the　light　of　this　suggestion；　and　now　he　wondered　if　there　could　be　any　such　sentiment　as　it　implied　in　Edith's　heart；　but　finally　he　put　the　idea　away　with　a　shrug。

〃Impossible；〃　he　thought。　〃She　thinks　of　me　as　I　think　of　her；　only　as　a　good　friend。〃




CHAPTER　XXIV。

IN　THE　TOILS。

At　the　office　of　the　International　Machine　Company　the　work　of　the　C。P。A。's　was　drawing　to　a　close。　Their　report　would　soon　he　ready　to　submit　to　Mr。　Compton；　and　as　the　time　approached　Bince's　nervousness　and　irritability　increased。　Edith　noticed　that　he　inquired　each　day　with　growing　solicitude　as　to　the　reports　from　the　hospital　relative　to　Jimmy's　condition。　She　knew　that　Bince　disliked　Jimmy；　and　yet　the　man　seemed　strangely　anxious　for　his　recovery　and　return　to　work。

In　accordance　with　Jimmy's　plan；　the　C。P。A。's　were　to　give　out　no　information　to　any　one；　even　to　Mr。　Compton；　until　their　investigation　and　report　were　entirely　completed。　This　plan　had　been　approved　by　Mr。　Compton；　although　he　professed　to　be　at　considerable　loss　to　understand　why　it　was　necessary。　It　was；　however；　in　accordance　with　Jimmy's　plan　to　prevent；　if　possible；　any　interference　with　the　work　of　the　auditors　until　every　available　fact　in　the　case　had　been　ascertained　and　recorded。

In　the　investigation　of　the　pay…roll　Bince　had　worked　diligently　with　the　accountants。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　had　never　left　them　a　moment　while　the　pay…roll　records　were　in　their　hands；　and　had　gone　to　much　pain　to　explain　in　detail　every　question　arising　therefrom。

Although　the　investigators　seemed　to　accept　his　statements　at　their　face　value；　the　assistant　general　manager　was　far　from　being　assured　that　their　final　report　would　redound　to　his　credit。

On　a　Thursday　they　informed　him　that　they　had　completed　their　investigation；　and　the　report　would　he　submitted　to　Mr。　Compton　on　Saturday。

When　Edith　reached　the　hospital　that　evening　she　found　Jimmy　in　high　spirits。　He　was　dressed　for　the　first　time；　and　assured　her　that　he　was　quite　able　to　return　to　work　if　the　doctor　would　let　him；　but　the　nurse　shook　her　head。　〃You　ought　to　stay　here　for　another　week　or　ten　days；〃　she　admonished　him。

〃Nothing　doing；〃'　cried　Jimmy。　　〃I'll　be　out　of　here　Monday　at　the　latest。〃　But　when　Edith　told　him　that　the　C。P。A。's　had　finished；　and　that　their　report　would　be　handed　in　Saturday；　Jimmy　announced　that　he　would　leave　the　hospital　the　following　day。

〃But　you　can't　do　it；〃　said　the　nurse。

〃Why　not？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃The　doctor　won't　permit　it。〃

Edith　tried　to　dissuade　him；　but　he　insisted　that　is　was　absolutely　necessary　for　him　to　be　at　the　office　when　the　C。P。A。's　report　was　made。

〃I'll　be　over　there　Friday　evening　or　Saturday　morning　at　the　latest；〃　he　said　as　she　bid　him　good…bye。

And　so　it　was　that；　despite　the　pleas　of　his　nurse　and　the　orders　of　his　physician；　Jimmy　appeared　at　the　plant　Friday　afternoon。　Bince　greeted　him　almost　effusively；　and　Mr。　Compton　seemed　glad　to　see　him　out　again。

That　evening　Harold　Bince　met　Murray　at　Feinheimer's；　and　still　later　the　Lizard　received　word　that　Murray　wanted　to　see　him。

〃Everything's　ready；〃　the　boss　explained　to　the　Lizard。　〃The　whole　thing's　framed　for　to…morrow　night。　The　watchman　was　discharged　to…day。　Another　man　is　supposed　to　have　been　hired　to　take　the　job；　but　of　course　he　won't　show　up。　You　meet　me　here　at　seven　thirty　to…morrow　night；　and　I'll　give　you　your　final　instructions　and　tell　you　how　to　get