the efficiency expert-第6部分

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Possibly　if　Jimmy　had　been　almost　any　other　type　of　man　from　what　he　was；　his　presence　would　not　have　been　so　flamboyantly　noticeable　in　a　hosiery　department。　His　stature；　his　features；　and　his　bronzed　skin；　that　had　lost　nothing　of　its　bronze　in　his　month's　search　for　work　through　the　hot　summer　streets　of　a　big　city；　were　as　utterly　out　of　place　as　would　have　been　the　salient　characteristics　of　a　chorus…girl　in　a　blacksmith…shop。

For　the　first　week　Jimmy　was　frightfully　embarrassed；　and　to　his　natural　bronze　was　added　an　almost　continuous　flush　of　mortification　from　the　moment　that　he　entered　the　department　in　the　morning　until　he　left　it　at　night。

〃It　is　a　job；　however；〃　he　thought；　〃and　ten　dollars　is　better　than　nothing。　I　can　hang　onto　it　until　something　better　turns　up。〃

With　his　income　now　temporarily　fixed　at　the　amount　of　his　wages；　he　was　forced　to　find　a　less　expensive　boarding…place；　although　at　the　time　he　had　rented　his　room　he　had　been　quite　positive　that　there　could　not　be　a　cheaper　or　more　undesirable　habitat　for　man。　Transportation　and　other　considerations　took　him　to　a　place　on　Indiana　Avenue　near　Eighteenth　Street；　from　whence　he　found　he　could　walk　to　and　from　work；　thereby　saving　ten　cents　a　day。　〃And　believe　me；〃　he　cogitated；　〃I　need　the　ten。〃

Jimmy　saw　little　of　his　fellow　roomers。　　A　strange；　drab　lot　he　thought　them　from　the　occasional　glimpses　he　had　had　in　passings　upon　the　dark　stairway　and　in　the　gloomy　halls。　They　appeared　to　be　quiet；　inoffensive　sort　of　folk；　occupied　entirely　with　their　own　affairs。　He　had　made　no　friends　in　the　place；　not　even　an　acquaintance；　nor　did　he　care　to。　What　leisure　time　he　had　he　devoted　to　what　he　now　had　come　to　consider　as　his　life　workthe　answering　of　blind　ads　in　the　Help　Wanted　columns　of　one　morning　and　one　evening　paperthe　two　mediums　which　seemed　to　carry　the　bulk　of　such　advertising。

For　a　while　he　had　sought　a　better　position　by　applying　during　the　noon　hour　to　such　places　as　gave　an　address　close　enough　to　the　department　store　in　which　he　worked　to　permit　him　to　make　the　attempt　during　the　forty…five…minute　period　be　was　allowed　for　his　lunch。

But　he　soon　discovered　that　nine…tenths　of　the　positions　were　filled　before　he　arrived；　and　that　in　the　few　cases　where　they　were　not　he　not　only　failed　of　employment；　but　was　usually　so　delayed　that　he　was　late　in　returning　to　work　after　noon。

By　replying　to　blind　ads　evenings　he　could　take　his　replies　to　the　two　newspaper　offices　during　his　lunch　hour；　thereby　losing　no　great　amount　of　time。　Although　he　never　received　a　reply；　he　still　persisted　as　be　found　the　attempt　held　something　of　a　fascination　for　him；　similar　probably　to　that　which　holds　the　lottery　devotee　or　the　searcher　after　buried　treasurethere　was　always　the　chance　that　he　would　turn　up　something　big。

And　so　another　month　dragged　by　slowly。　　His　work　in　the　department　store　disgusted　him。　It　seemed　such　a　silly；　futile　occupation　for　a　full…grown　man；　and　he　was　always　fearful　that　the　sister　or　sweetheart　or　mother　of　some　of　his　Chicago　friends　would　find　him　there　behind　the　counter　in　the　hosiery　section。

The　store　was　a　large　one；　including　many　departments；　and　Jimmy　tried　to　persuade　the　hosiery　buyer　to　arrange　for　his　transfer　to　another　department　where　his　work　would　be　more　in　keeping　with　his　sex　and　appearance。

He　rather　fancied　the　automobile　accessories　line；　but　the　buyer　was　perfectly　satisfied　with　Jimmy's　sales　record；　and　would　do　nothing　to　assist　in　the　change。　The　university　heavyweight　champion　had　reached　a　point　where　he　loathed　but　one　thing　more　than　he　did　silk　hosiery；　and　that　one　thing　was　himself。




CHAPTER　VI。

HAROLD　PLAYS　THE　RAVEN。

Mason　Compton；　president　and　general　manager；　sat　in　his　private　office　in　the　works　of　the　International　Machine　Company；　chewing　upon　an　unlighted　cigar　and　occasionally　running　his　fingers　through　his　iron…gray　hair　as　he　compared　and　recompared　two　statements　which　lay　upon　the　desk　before　him。

〃Damn　strange；〃　he　muttered　as　he　touched　a　button　beneath　the　edge　of　his　desk。　A　boy　entered　the　room。　〃Ask　Mr。　Bince　if　he　will　be　good　enough　to　step　in　here　a　moment；　please；〃　said　Compton；　and　a　moment　later；　when　Harold　Bince　entered；　the　older　man　leaned　back　in　his　chair　and　motioned　the　other　to　be　seated。

〃I　can't　understand　these　statements；　Harold；〃　said　Compton。　　〃Here　is　one　for　August　of　last　year　and　this　is　this　August's　statement　of　costs。　We　never　had　a　better　month　in　the　history　of　this　organization　than　last　month；　and　yet　our　profits　are　not　commensurate　with　the　volume　of　business　that　we　did。　That's　the　reason　I　sent　for　these　cost　statements　and　have　compared　them；　and　I　find　that　our　costs　have　increased　out　of　all　proportions　to　what　is　warranted。　How　do　you　account　for　it？〃

〃Principally　the　increased　cost　of　labor；〃　replied　Bince。　　〃The　same　holds　true　of　everybody　else。　Every　manufacturer　in　the　country　is　in　the　same　plight　we　are。〃

〃I　know；〃　agreed　Compton；　〃that　that　is　true　to　some　measure。　　Both　labor　and　raw　materials　have　advanced；　but　we　have　advanced　our　prices　correspondingly。　In　some　instances　it　seems　to　me　that　our　advance　in　prices；　particularly　on　our　specialties；　should　have　given　us　even　a　handsomer　profit　over　the　increased　cost　of　production　than　we　formerly　received。

〃In　the　last　six　months　since　I　appointed　you　assistant　manager　I　am　afraid　that　I　have　sort　of　let　things　get　out　of　my　grasp。　I　have　a　lot　of　confidence　in　you；　Harold；　and　now　that　you　and　Elizabeth　are　engaged　I　feel　even　more　inclined　to　let　you　shoulder　the　responsibilities　that　I　have　carried　alone　from　the　inception　of　this　organization。　But　I've　got　to　be　mighty　sure　that　you　are　going　to　do　at　least　as　well　as　I　did。　You　have　shown　a　great　deal　of　ability；　but　you　are　young　and　haven't　had　the　advantage　of　the　years　of　experience　that　made　it　possible　for　me　to　finally　develop　a　business　second　to　none　in　this　line　in　the　West。

〃I　never　had　a　son；　and　after　Elizabeth's　mother　died　I　have　lived　in　the　hope　somehow　that　she　would　marry　the　sort　of　chap　who　would　really　take　the　place　of　such　a　son　as　every　man　dreams　ofsome　one　who　will　take　his　place　and　carry　on　his　work　when　he　is　ready　to　lay　aside　his　tools。　I　liked　your　father；　Harold。　He　was　one　of　the　best　friends　that　I　ever　had；　and　I　can　tell　you　now　what　I　couldn't　have　you　a　month　ago：　that　when　I　employed　you　and　put　you　in　this　position　it　was　with　the　hope　that　eventually　you　would　fill　the　place　in　my　business　and　in　my　home　of　the　son　I　never　had。〃

〃Do　you　think　Elizabeth　guessed　what　was　in　your　mind？〃　asked　Bince。

〃I　don't　know；〃　replied　the　older　man。　　〃I　have　tried　never　to　say　anything　to　influence　her。　Years　ago　when　she　was　younger　we　used　to　talk　about　it　half　jokingly　and　shortly　after　you　told　me　of　your　engagement　she　remarked　to　me　one　day　that　she　was　happy；　for　she　knew　you　were　going　to　be　the　sort　of　son　I　had　wanted。

〃I　haven't　anybody　on　earth　but　her；　Harold；　and　when　I　die　she　gets　the　business。　I　have　arranged　it　in　my　will　so　you　two　will　share　and　share　alike　in　profits　after　I　go；　but　that　will　be　some　time。　I　am　far　from　being　an　old　man；　and　I　am　a　mighty　healthy　one。　However；　I　should　like　to　be　relieved　of　the　active　management。　There　are　lot　of　things　that　I　have　always　wanted　to　do　that　I　couldn't　do　because　I　couldn't　spare　the　time　from　my　business。

〃And　so　I　want　you　to　get　thoroughly　into　the　harness　as　soon　as　possible；　that　I　may　turn　over　the　entire　management　you。　But　I　can't　do　it；　Harold；　while　the　profits　are　diminishing。〃

As　the　older　man's　gaze　fell　again　to　statements　before　him　the　eyes　of　younger　man　narrowed　just　a　trifle　as　they　rested　upon　Mason　Compton；　and　then　as　the　older　man　looked　up　Bince's　expression　changed。

〃I'll　do　my　best；　sir；〃　he　said；　smiling。　　〃Of　course　I　realize；　as　you　must；　that　I　have　tried　to　learn　a　great　deal　in　a　short　time。　I　think　I　have　reached　a　point　now　where　I　pretty　thoroughly　grasp　the　possibilities　and　requirements　of　my　work；　and　I　am　sure　that　from　now　on　you　will　note　a　decided　change　for　the　better　on　the　right　side　of　the　ledger。〃

〃I　am　sure　of　it；　my　boy；〃　said　Compton　heartily。　　〃Don't　think　that　I　have　been　finding　fault　with　anything　you　have　done。　I　just　wanted　to　call　your　attention　to　these　figures。　They　mean　something；　and　it's　up　to　you　to　find　out　just　what　they　do　mean。〃

And　then　there　came　a　light　tap　on　the　door；　which　opened　immediately　before　any　summons　to　enter　had　been　given；　and　Elizabeth　Compton　entered；　followed　by　another　young　woman。

〃Hello；　there！〃　exclaimed　Compton。　　〃What　gets　us　out　so　early？　　And　Harriet　too！　There　is　only　one　thing　that　would　bring　you　girls　in　here　so　early。〃

〃And　what's　that？〃　asked　Elizabeth。

〃You　are　going　shopping；　and　Elizabeth　wants　some　money。〃

They　all　laughed。　　〃You're　a　regular　Sherlock　Holmes！〃　exclaimed　Harriet　Holden。

〃How　much？〃　asked　Compton　of　his　daughter；　still　smiling。

〃How　much　have　you？〃　asked　Elizabeth。　　〃I　am　utterly　broke。〃

Compton　turned　to　Bince。　　〃Get　her　what　she　needs；　Harold；〃　he　said。

The　young　man　started　to　the　door。

〃Come　with　me；　Elizabeth；〃　he　said；　〃we　will　go　out　to　the　cashier's　cage　and　get　you　fixed　up。〃

They　entered　Bince's　office；　which　adjoined　Compton's。

〃Wait　here　a　minute；　Elizabeth；〃　said　Bince。　　〃How　much　do　you　want？　　I'll　get　it　for　you　and　bring　it　back。　I　want　to　see　you　a　moment　alone　before　you　go。〃

She　told　him　how　much　she　wanted；　and　he　was　back　shortly　with　the　currency。

〃Elizabeth；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　know　whether　you　have　noticed　it　or　not；　because　your　father　isn't　a　man　to　carry　his　troubles　home；　but　I　believe　that　he　is　failing　rapidly；　largely　from　overwork。　He　worries　about　conditions　here　which　really　do　not　exist。　I　have　been　trying　to　take　the　load　off　his　shoulders　so　that　he　could　ease　up　a　bit；　but　he　has　got　into　a　rut　from　which　be　cannot　be　guided。

〃He　will　simply　have　to　be　lifted　completely　out　of　it；　or　be　will　stay　here　and　die　in　the　harness。　Everything　is　running　splendidly；　and　now　that　I　have　a　good　grasp　of　the　business　I　can　handle　it。　Don't　you　suppose　you　could　persuade