the efficiency expert-第7部分

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〃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　him　to　take　a　trip？　I　know　that　he　wants　to　travel。　He　has　told　me　so　several　times；　and　if　he　could　get　away　from　here　this　fall　and　stay　away　for　a　year；　if　possible；　it　would　make　a　new　man　of　him。　I　am　really　very　much　worried　about　him；　and　while　I　hate　to　worry　you　I　feel　that　you　are　the　only　person　who　can　influence　him　and　that　something　ought　to　be　done　and　done　at　once。〃

〃Why；　Harold；〃　exclaimed　the　girl；　〃there　is　nothing　the　matter　with　father！　He　was　never　better　in　his　life　nor　more　cheerful。〃

〃That's　the　side　of　him　that　he　lets　you　see；〃　replied　the　man。　　〃His　gaiety　is　all　forced。　If　you　could　see　him　after　you　leave　you　would　realize　that　he　is　on　the　verge　of　a　nervous　breakdown。　Your　father　is　not　an　old　man　in　years；　but　he　has　placed　a　constant　surtax　on　his　nervous　system　for　the　last　twenty…five　years　without　a　let…up；　and　it　doesn't　make　any　difference　how　good　a　machine　may　be　it　is　going　to　wear　out　some　day；　and　the　better　the　machine　the　more　complete　will　be　the　wreck　when　the　final　break　occurs。〃

As　he　spoke　he　watched　the　girl's　face；　the　changing　expression　of　it；　which　marked　her　growing　mental　perturbation。

〃You　really　believe　it　is　as　bad　as　that；　Harold？〃　she　asked。

〃It　may　be　worse　than　I　think；〃　he　said。　　〃It　is　surely　fully　as　bad。〃

The　girl　rose　slowly　from　the　chair。　　〃I　will　try　and　persuade　him　to　see　Dr。　Earle。〃

The　man　took　a　step　toward　her。　　〃I　don't　believe　a　doctor　is　what　he　needs；〃　he　said　quickly。　〃His　condition　is　one　that　even　a　nerve　specialist　might　not　diagnose　correctly。　It　is　only　some　one　in　a　position　like　mine；　who　has　an　opportunity　to　observe　him　almost　hourly；　day　by　day；　who　would　realize　his　condition。　I　doubt　if　he　has　any　organic　trouble　whatever。　What　he　needs　is　a　long　rest；　entirely　free　from　any　thought　whatever　of　business。　At　least；　Elizabeth；　it　will　do　him　no　harm；　and　it　may　prolong　his　life　for　years。　I　wouldn't　go　messing　around　with　any　of　these　medical　chaps。〃

〃Well；〃　she　said　at　last；　with　a　sigh；　〃I　will　talk　to　him　and　see　if　I　can't　persuade　him　to　take　a　trip。　He　has　always　wanted　to　visit　Japan　and　China。〃

〃Just　the　thing！〃　exclaimed　Bince；　〃just　the　thing　for　him。　　The　long　sea　voyage　will　do　him　a　world　of　good。　And　now；〃　he　said；　stepping　to　her　side　and　putting　an　arm　around　her。

She　pushed　him　gently　away。

〃No；〃　she　said；　〃I　do　not　feel　like　kissing　now；〃　and　turning　she　entered　her　father's　office；　followed　by　Bince。




CHAPTER　VII。

JOBLESS　AGAIN。

From　her　father's　works　Elizabeth　and　Harriet　drove　to　the　shopping　district；　where　they　strolled　through　a　couple　of　shops　and　then　stopped　at　one　of　the　larger　stores。

Jimmy　Torrance　was　arranging　his　stock；　fully　nine…tenths　of　which　he　could　have　sworn　he　had　just　shown　an　elderly　spinster　who　had　taken　at　least　half　an　hour　of　his　time　and　then　left　without　making　a　purchase。　His　back　was　toward　his　counter　when　his　attention　was　attracted　by　a　feminine　voice　asking　if　he　was　busy。　As　he　turned