the efficiency expert-第20章

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　me。　I　study　them　and　learn　how　to　get　from　each　the　most　that　is　in　him。　At　the　same　time　I　shall　be　looking　for　leaks　and　investigating　time…keeping　methods　〃he　was　looking　straight　at　Bince　and　he　could　not　help　but　note　the　slight　narrowing　of　the　other's　lids　〃wage…paying　systems　and　planning　on　efficiency　producers。〃

Here　he　hesitated　a　moment　as　though　weighing　his　words；　though　as　a　matter　of　fact　he　had　merely　forgotten　the　title　of　the　next　chapter；　but　presently　he　went　on　again：

〃Later　I　shall　start　reducing　costs　by　studying　machines；　handling　material　economically　and　producing　power　at　lowest　costs：　keeping　the　product　moving；　making　environment　count　on　the　balance…sheet　and　protecting　against　accident　and　fire。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　Mr。　Bince。

〃Oh；　no；　indeed！〃　said　Jimmy。　〃That's　just　a　very　brief　outline　of　the　way　I　shall　start。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Bince。　〃And　just　how；　may　I　ask；　do　you　make　environment　count　on　the　balance…sheet？　I　do　not　quite　understand。〃

Jimmy　was　mentally　gasping　and　going　down　for　the　third　time。　He　had　wondered　when　he　read　that　chapter　title　just　what　it　might　mean。

〃Oh；〃　he　said；　〃you　will　understand　that　thoroughly　when　we　reach　that　point。　It　is　one　of　the　steps　in　my　method。　Other　things　lead　up　to　it。　It　is　really　rather　difficult　to　explain　until　we　have　a　concrete　example；　something　that　you　can　really　visualize；　you　know。　But　I　assure　you　that　it　will　be　perfectly　plain　to　you　when　we　arrive　at　that　point。

〃And　now；〃　he　said；　rising；　〃I　must　be　going。　　I　have　a　great　deal　to　attend　to　this　afternoon　and　to…morrow；　as　I　wish　to　get　some　personal　matters　out　of　the　way　before　I　start　in　here　Thursday。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　Mr。　Bince；　〃I　suppose　we　shall　see　you　Thursday；　but　just　bear　in　mind；　please；　that　you　and　I　can　work　better　together　than　at　cross…purposes。〃




CHAPTER　XVII。

JIMMY　ON　THE　JOB。

As　Jimmy　left　the　office　he　discovered　that　those　last　words　of　Bince's　had　made　a　considerable　and　a　rather　unfavorable　impression　on　him。　He　was　sure　that　there　was　an　underlying　meaning；　though　just　what　it　portended　he　was　unable　to　imagine。

From　the　International　Machine　Company　Jimmy　went　directly　to　the　restaurant　where　he　and　Little　Eva　had　dined　the　night　before。　He　found　her　waiting　for　him；　as　they　had　agreed　she　would。

〃Well；　what　luck？〃　she　asked　as　he　took　the　chair　next　to　her。

〃Oh；　I　landed　the　job　all　right；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃but　I　feel　like　a　crook。　　I　don't　know　how　in　the　world　I　ever　came　to　stand　for　those　letters　of　recommendation。　They　were　the　things　that　got　me　the　job　all　right；　but　I　honestly　feel　just　as　though　I　had　stolen　something。〃

〃Don't　feel　that　way；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃You'll　make　good；　I　know；　and　then　it　won　t　make　any　difference　about　the　letters。〃

〃And　now；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃tell　me　where　you　got　them。　You　promised　me　that　you　would　tell　me　afterward。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　the　girl；　〃that　was　easy。　　A　girl　who　rooms　at　the　same　place　I　do　works　in　a　big　printing　and　engraving　plant　and　I　got　her　to　get　me　some　samples　of　letterheads　early　this　morning。　In　fact；　I　went　down…town　with　her　when　she　went　to　work　and　then　I　went　over　to　the　Underwood　offices　and　wrote　the　recommendations　out　on　a　machineI　used　to　be　a　stenographer。〃

〃And　you　forged　these　names？〃　asked　Jimmy；　horrified。

〃I　didn't　forge　anybody's　name；〃　replied　the　girl。　　〃I　made　them　up。〃

〃You　mean　there　are　no　such　men？〃

〃As　far　as　I　know　there　are　not；〃　she　replied；　laughing。

Slowly　Jimmy　drew　the　letters　from　his　inside　pocket　and　read　them　one　by　one；　spreading　them　out　upon　the　table　before　him。　Presently　he　looked　up　at　the　girl。

〃Why　don't　you　get　a　position　again　as　a　stenographer？〃　he　asked。

〃I　have　been　thinking　of　it；〃　she　said；　〃do　you　want　me　to？〃

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　want　you　to　very　much。〃

〃It　will　be　easy；〃　she　said。　　〃There　is　no　reason　why　I　shouldn't　except　that　there　was　no　one　ever　cared　what　I　did。〃

As　she　finished　speaking　they　were　both　aware　that　a　man　had　approached　their　table　and　stopped　opposite　them。　Jimmy　and　the　girl　looked　up　to　see　a　large　man　in　a　dark　suit　looking　down　at　Eva。　Jimmy　did　not　recognize　the　man；　but　he　knew　at　once　what　he　was。

〃Well；　O'Donnell；　what's　doing？〃　asked　the　girl。

〃You　know　what's　doing；〃　said　the　officer。　　〃How　miny　toimes　do　the　capt'in　have　to　be　afther　isshuin'　orrders　tellin'　you　janes　to　kape　out　uv　dacent　places？〃

The　girl　flushed。　　〃I'm　not　working　here；〃　she　said。

〃To　hell　ye　ain't；〃　sneered　O'Donnell。　　〃Didn't　I　see　ye　flag　this　guy　whin　he　came　in？〃

〃This　young　lady　is　a　friend　of　mine；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃I　had　an　appointment　to　meet　her　here。〃

O'Donnell　shifted　his　gaze　from　the　girl　to　her　escort　and　for　the　first　time　appraised　Jimmy　thoroughly。　〃Oh；　it's　you；　is　it？〃　he　asked。

〃It　is；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃you　guessed　it　the　first　time；　but　far　be　it　from　me　to　know　what　you　have　guessed；　as　I　never　saw　you　before；　my　friend。〃

〃Well；　I've　seen　you　before；〃　said　O'Donnell；　〃and　ye　put　one　over　on　me　that　time　all　roight；　I　can　see　now。　I　don't　know　what　your　game　was；　but　you　and　the　Lizard　played　it　pretty　slick　when　you　could　pull　the　wool　over　Patrick　O'Donnell's　eyes　the　way　ye　done。〃

〃Oh；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃I've　got　you　now。　　You're　the　bull　who　interfered　with　my　friend　and　me　on　Randolph　and　La　Salle　way　back　last　July。〃

〃I　am；〃　said　O'Donnell；　〃and　I　thought　ye　was　a　foine　young　gentleman；　and　you　are　a　foine　one；〃　he　said　with　intense　sarcasm。

〃Go　away　and　leave　us　alone；〃　said　the　girl。　〃We're　not　doing　anything。　　We　ate　in　here　last　night　together。　This　man　is　perfectly　respectable。　He　isn't　what　you　think　him；　at　all。〃

〃I'm　not　going　to　pinch　him；〃　said　O'Donnell；　〃I　ain't　got　nothin'　to　pinch　him　for；　but　the　next　time　I　see　him　I'll　know　him。〃

〃Well；〃　said　the　girl；　〃are　you　going　to　beat　it　or　are　you　going　to　stick　around　here　bothering　us　all　evening？　There　hasn't　anybody　registered　a　complaint　against　me　in　here。〃

〃Naw；〃　said　O'Donnell；　〃they　ain't；　but　you　want　to　watch　your　step　or　they　will。〃

〃All　right；〃　said　the　girl；　〃run　along　and　sell　your　papers。〃　　And　she　turned　again　to　Jimmy；　and　as　though　utterly　unconscious　of　the　presence　of　the　police　officer；　she　remarked；　〃That　big　stiff　gives　me　a　pain。　He's　the　original　Buttinsky　Kid。〃

O'Donnell　flushed。　　〃Watch　your　step；　young　lady；〃　he　said　as　he　turned　and　walked　away。

〃I　thought。〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃that　it　was　the　customary　practise　to　attempt　to　mollify　the　guardians　of　the　law。〃

〃Mollify　nothing。〃　returned　the　girl。　　〃None　of　these　big　bruisers　knows　what　decency　is；　and　if　you're　decent　to　them　they　think　you're　afraid　of　them。　When　they　got　something　on　you　you　got　to　be　nice；　but　when　they　haven't；　tell　them　where　they　get　off。　I　knew　he　wouldn't　pinch　me；　he's　got　nothing　to　pinch　me　for；　and　he'd　have　been　out　of　luck　if　he　had；　for　there　hasn't　one　of　them　got　anything　on　me。〃　〃But　won't　he　have　it　in　for　you？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃Sure；　he　will；〃　said　the　girl。　　〃He's　got　it　in　for　everybody。　That's　what　being　a　policeman　does　to　a　man。　Say；　most　of　these　guys　hate　themselves。　I　tell　you；　though；〃　she　said　presently　and　more　seriously；　〃I'm　sorry　on　your　account。　These　dicks　never　forget　a　face。　He's　got　you　catalogued　and　filed　away　in　what　he　calls　his　brain　alongside　of　a　dip　anda　〃she　hesitated〃　a　girl　like　me；　and　no　matter　how　high　up　you　ever　get　if　your　foot　slips　up　will　bob　O'Donnell　with　these　two　facts。〃

〃I'm　not　worrying；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃I　don't　intend　to　let　my　foot　slip　in　his　direction。〃

〃I　hope　not；〃　said　the　girl。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Thursday　morning　Jimmy　took　up　his　duties　as　efficiency　expert　at　the　plant　of　the　International　Machine　Company。　Since　his　interview　with　Compton　his　constant　companion　had　been　〃How　to　Get　More　Out　of　Your　Factory；〃　with　the　result　that　he　felt　that　unless　he　happened　to　be　pitted　against　another　efficiency　expert　he　could　at　least　make　a　noise　like　efficiency；　and　also　he　had　grasped　what　he　considered　the　fundamental　principle　of　efficiency；　namely；　simplicity。

〃If；〃　he　reasoned；　〃I　cannot　find　in　any　plant　hundreds　of　operations　that　are　not　being　done　in　the　simplest　manner　it　wi