the efficiency expert-第24部分

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〃He's　framing　an　alibi　before　he　starts。〃

With　the　note　in　his　hand；　Bince　entered　Compton's　office；　where　he　found　the　latter　dictating　to　Edith　Hudson。　〃Look　at　this　thing！〃　exclaimed　Bince；　laying　the　note　before　Compton。　〃What　do　you　suppose　it　means？〃

Compton　read　it；　and　his　brows　knitted。　〃Have　the　men　been　complaining　at　all？〃　he　asked。

〃Recently　I　have　heard　a　little　grumbling；〃　　replied　Bince。　　〃They　haven't　taken　very　kindly　to　Torrance's　changes；　and　I　guess　some　of　them　are　afraid　they　are　going　to　lose　their　jobs；　as　they　know　he　is　cutting　down　the　force　in　order　to　cut　costs。〃

〃He　ought　to　know　about　this；〃　said　Compton。　　〃Wait；　I'll　have　him　in；〃　and　he　pressed　a　button　on　his　desk。　A　moment　later　Jimmy　entered；　and　Compton　showed　him　the　note。

〃What　do　you　think　of　it？〃　asked　Compton。

〃I　doubt　if　it　amounts　to　much；〃　replied　Jimmy。　　〃The　men　have　no　grievance。　It　may　be　the　work　of　some　fellow　who　was　afraid　of　his　job；　but　I　doubt　if　it　really　emanates　from　any　organized　scheme　of　intimidation。　If　I　were　you；　sir；　I　would　simply　ignore　it。〃

To　Jimmy's　surprise；　Bince　agreed　with　him。　　It　was　the　first　time　that　Bince　had　agreed　with　anything　Jimmy　had　suggested。

〃Very　well；〃　assented　Compton；　〃but　we'll　preserve　this　bit　of　evidence　in　case　we　may　need　it　later；〃　and　he　handed　the　slip　of　paper　to　Edith　Hudson。　〃File　this；　please；　Miss　Hudson；〃　he　said；　and　then；　turning　to　Bince：

〃It　may　be　nothing；　but　I　don't　like　the　idea　of　it。　　There　is　apt　to　be　something　underlying　this；　or　even　if　it　is　only　a　single　individual　and　he　happens　to　be　a　crank　he　could　cause　a　lot　of　trouble。　Suppose；　for　instance；　one　of　these　crack…brained　foreigners　in　the　shop　got　it　into　his　head　that　Torrance　here　was　grinding　him　down　in　order　to　increase　our　profits？　Why；　he　might　attack　him　at　any　time！　I　tell　you；　we　have　got　to　be　prepared　for　such　a　contingency；　especially　now　that　we　have　concrete　evidence　that　there　is　such　a　man　in　our　employ。　I　think　you　ought　to　be　armed；　Mr。　Torrance。　Have　you　a　pistol？〃

Jimmy　shook　his　head　negatively。

〃No；　sir；〃　he　said；　〃not　here。〃

Compton　opened　a　desk　drawer。

〃Take　this　one；〃　he　said；　and　handed　Jimmy　an　automatic。

The　latter　smiled。　　〃Really；　Mr。　Compton；〃　he　said；　〃I　don't　believe　I　need　such　an　article。〃

〃I　want　you　to　take　it；〃　insisted　Compton。　　〃I　want　you　to　be　one　the　safe　side。〃

A　moment　later　Bince　and　Jimmy　left　the　office　together。　　Jimmy　still　carried　the　pistol　in　his　hand。

〃You'd　better　put　that　thing　in　your　pocket；〃　cautioned　Bince。

They　were　in　the　small　office　on　which　Compton's　and　Bince's　offices　opened；　and　Jimmy　had　stopped　beside　the　desk　that　had　been　placed　there　for　him。

〃I　think　I'll　leave　it　here；〃　he　said。　〃The　thing　would　be　a　nuisance　in　my　pocket；〃　and　he　dropped　it　into　one　of　the　desk　drawers；　while　Bince　continued　his　way　toward　the　shop。

Compton　was　looking　through　the　papers　and　letters　on　his　desk；　evidently　searching　for　something　which　he　could　not　find；　while　the　girl　sat　awaiting　for　him　to　continue　his　dictation。

〃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　fe