the efficiency expert-第22章

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uddenly　an　inspiration　came　to　him。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　believe　your　accounting　system　could　be　improvedit　will　take　me　months　to　get　around　to　it；　as　my　work　is　primarily　in　the　shop；　at　first；　at　least。　You　can　save　both　time　and　money　by　having　your　books　audited　by　a　firm　of　public　accountants　who　can　also　suggest　a　new　and　more　up…to…date　system。〃

〃Not　a　bad　idea；〃　said　Compton。　〃I　think　we　will　do　it。〃

For　another　half…hour　they　discussed　Jimmy's　work；　and　then　as　the　latter　was　leaving　Compton　stopped　him。

〃By　the　way；　you　don't　happen　to　know　of　a　good　stenographer；　do　you？　　　Miss　Withe　is　leaving　me　Saturday。〃

Jimmy　thought　a　moment。　　Instantly　he　thought　of　Little　Eva　and　what　she　had　said　of　her　experience　as　a　stenographer；　and　her　desire　to　abandon　her　present　life　for　something　in　the　line　of　her　former　work。　Here　was　a　chance　to　repay　her　in　some　measure　for　her　kindness　to　him。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　know　of　a　young　lady　who；　I　believe；　could　do　the　work。　Shall　I　have　her　call　on　you？〃

〃If　you　will；　please；〃　replied　Compton

As　Jimmy　left　the　office　Compton　rang　for　Bince；　and　when　the　latter　came；　told　him　of　his　plan　to　employ　a　firm　of　accountants　to　renovate　their　entire　system　of　bookkeeping。

〃Is　that　one　of　Torrance's　suggestions？〃　asked　Bince。

〃Yes；　the　idea　is　his；〃　replied　Compton；　〃and　I　think　it　is　a　good　one。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Bince；　〃that　Torrance　is　balling　things　up　sufficiently　as　it　is　without　getting　in　other　theorizers　who　have　no　practical　knowledge　of　our　business。　The　result　of　all　this　will　be　to　greatly　increase　our　overhead　by　saddling　us　with　a　lot　of　red…tape　in　the　accounting　department　similar　to　that　which　Torrance　is　loading　the　producing　end　with。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　you　are　prejudiced；　Harold；〃　said　Compton。　　〃I　cannot　discover　that　Torrance　is　doing　anything　to　in　any　way　complicate　the　shop　work。　As　a　matter　of　fact　a　single　change　which　he　has　just　made　has　resulted　in　our　performing　certain　operations　in　less　time　and　to　better　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　do