the efficiency expert-第15节

按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！



His　letters　home　were　infrequent；　for　he　found　that　his　powers　of　invention　were　being　rapidly　depleted。　It　was　difficult　to　write　glowing　accounts　of　the　business　success　he　was　upon　the　point　of　achieving　on　the　strength　of　any　of　the　positions　he　so　far　had　held；　and　doubly　so　during　the　far　greater　period　that　he　had　been　jobless　and　hungry。　But　he　had　not　been　able　to　bring　himself　to　the　point　of　admitting　to　his　family　his　long　weeks　of　consistent　and　unrelieved　failure。

Recently　he　had　abandoned　his　futile　attempts　to　obtain　positions　through　the　medium　of　the　Help　Wanted　columns。

〃It　is　no　use；〃　he　thought。　　〃There　must　be　something　inherently　wrong　with　me　that　in　a　city　full　of　jobs　I　am　unable　to　land　anything　without　some　sort　of　a　pull　and　then　only　work　that　any　unskilled　laborer　could　perform。〃

The　truth　of　the　matter　was　that　Jimmy　Torrance　was　slowly　approaching　that　mental　condition　that　is　aptly　described　by　the　phrase；　〃losing　your　grip；〃　one　of　the　symptoms　of　which　was　the　fact　that　he　was　almost　contented　with　his　present　job。

He　had　driven　for　about　a　week　when；　upon　coming　into　the　barn　after　completing　his　morning　delivery；　he　was　instructed　to　take　a　special　order　to　a　certain　address　on　Lake　Shore　Drive。　Although　the　address　was　not　that　of　one　of　his　regular　customers　he　felt　that　there　was　something　vaguely　familiar　about　it；　but　when　he　finally　arrived　he　realized　that　it　was　a　residence　at　which　he　had　never　before　called。

Driving　up　the　alley　Jimmy　stopped　in　the　rear　of　a　large　and　pretentious　home；　and　entering　through　a　gateway　in　a　high　stone　wall　he　saw　that　the　walk　to　the　rear　entrance　bordered　a　very　delightful　garden。　He　realized　what　a　wonderfully　pretty　little　spot　it　must　be　in　the　summer　time；　with　its　pool　and　fountain　and　tree…shaded　benches；　its　vine…covered　walls　and　artistically　arranged　shrubs；　and　it　recalled　to　Jimmy　with　an　accompanying　sigh　the　homes　in　which　he　had　visited　in　what　seemed　now　a　remote　past；　and　also　of　his　own　home　in　the　West。

On　the　alley　in　one　corner　of　the　property　stood　a　garage　and　stable；　in　which　Jimmy　could　see　men　working　upon　the　owner's　cars　and　about　the　box…stalls　of　his　saddle　horses。　At　the　sight　of　the　horses　Jimmy　heaved　another　sigh　as　he　continued　his　way　to　the　rear　entrance。　As　he　stood　waiting　for　a　reply　to　his　summons　he　glanced　back　at　the　stable　to　see　that　horses　had　just　entered　and　that　their　riders　were　dismounting；　evidently　two　of　the　women　of　the　household；　and　then　a　houseman　opened　the　door　and　Jimmy　made　his　delivery　and　started　to　retrace　his　steps　to　his　wagon。

Approaching　him　along　the　walk　from　the　stable　were　the　riderstwo　young　women；　laughing　and　talking　as　they　approached　the　house；　and　suddenly　Jimmy；　in　his　neat　white　suit；　carrying　his　little　tray　of　milk…bottles；　recognized　them；　and　instantly　there　flashed　into　recollection　the　address　that　Harriet　Holden　had　given　him　that　night　at　Feinheimer's。

〃What　infernal　luck；〃　he　groaned　inwardly；　〃I　suppose　the　next　time　I　see　that　girl　I'll　be　collecting　garbage　from　her　back　door。〃　And　then；　with　his　eyes　straight　to　the　front；　he　stepped　aside　to　let　the　two　pass。

It　was　Harriet　Holden　who　recognized　him　first；　and　stopped　with　a　little　exclamation　of　surprise。　Jimmy　stopped；　too。　There　was　nothing　else　that　a　gentleman　might　do；　although　he　would　have　given　his　right　hand　to　have　been　out　of　the　yard。

〃You　never　came　to　the　house　as　I　asked　you　to；〃　said　Miss　Holden　reproachfully。　〃We　wanted　so　much　to　do　something　to　repay　you　for　your　protection　that　night。〃

〃There　was　no　use　in　my　coming；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃for；　you　see；　I　couldn't　have　accepted　anything　for　what　I　didI　couldn't　very　well　have　done　anything　else；　could　I；　under　the　circumstances？〃

〃There　were　many　other　men　in　the　place；〃　replied　Harriet；　〃but　you　were　the　only　one　who　came　to　our　help。〃

〃But　the　others　were　not…〃　Jimmy　been　upon　the　point　of　saying　gentlemen；　but　then　he　happened　to　think　that　in　the　eves　of　these　two　girls；　and　according　to　their　standard；　he　might　not　be　a　gentleman；　either。　〃Well；　you　see；〃　he　continued　lamely；　〃they　probably　didn't　know　who　you　were。〃

〃Did　you？〃　asked　Elizabeth。

〃No；〃　Jimmy　admitted；　〃of　course；　I　didn't　know　who　you　were；　but　I　knew　what　you　were　not；　which　was　the　thing　that　counted　most　then。〃

〃I　wish；〃　said　Harriet；　〃that　you　would　let　us　do　something　for　you。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Elizabeth；　〃if　a　hundred　dollars　would　be　of　any　use　to　you〃Harriet　laid　a　hand　quickly　on　her　friend's　arm。

〃I　wasn't　thinking　of　money；〃　she　said　to　Jimmy。　　〃One　can't　pay　for　things　like　that　with　money；　but　we　know　so　many　people　here　we　might　help　you　in　some　way；　if　you　are　not　entirely　satisfied　with　your　present　position。〃

Out　of　the　corner　of　his　eye　Jimmy　could　not　help　but　note　that　Elizabeth　was　appraising　him　critically　from　head　to　foot　and　he　felt　that　he　could　almost　read　what　was　passing　through　her　mind　as　she　took　stock　of　his　cheap　cotton　uniform　and　his　cap；　with　the　badge　of　his　employer　above　the　vizor。　Involuntarily　Jimmy　straightened　his　shoulders　and　raised　his　chin　a　trifle。

〃No；　thank　you；〃　he　said　to　Harriet　〃it　is　kind　of　you；　but　really　I　am　perfectly　satisfied　with　my　present　job。　It　is　by　far　the　best　one　I　have　ever　held；〃　and　touching　his　cap；　he　continued　his　interrupted　way　to　his　wagon。

〃What　a　strange　young　man；〃　exclaimed　Harriet。　〃He　is　like　many　of　his　class；〃　replied　Elizabeth；　〃probably　entirely　without　ambition　and　with　no　desire　to　work　any　too　hard　or　to　assume　additional　responsibilities。〃

〃I　don't　believe　it；〃　retorted　Harriet。　　〃Unless　I　am　greatly　mistaken；　that　man　is　a　gentleman。　Everything　about　him　indicates　it；　his　inflection　even　is　that　of　a　well…bred　man。〃

〃How　utterly　silly；〃　exclaimed　Elizabeth。　　〃You've　heard　him　speak　scarcely　a　dozen　words。　I　venture　to　say　that　in　a　fifteen…minute　conversation　he　would　commit　more　horrible　crimes　against　the　king's　English　than　even　that　new　stable…boy　of　yours。　Really；　Harriet；　you　seem　very　much　interested　in　this　person。〃

〃Why　shouldn't　I　be？〃　asked　Harriet。　　〃He's　becoming　my　little　pet　mystery。　I　wonder　under　what　circumstances　we　see　him　next？〃

〃Probably　as　a　white…wings；〃　laughed　Elizabeth。　　〃But　if　so　I　positively　refuse　to　permit　you　to　stop　in　the　middle　of　Michigan　Boulevard　and　converse　with　a　street…sweeper　while　I'm　with　you。〃

Jimmy's　new　job　lasted　two　weeks；　and　then　the　milk…wagon　drivers　went　on　strike　and　Jimmy　was　thrown　out　of　employment。

〃Tough　luck；〃　sympathized　the　Lizard。　　〃You　sure　are　the　Calamity　Kid。　　But　don't　worry；　we'll　land　you　something　else。　And　remember　that　that　partnership　proposition　is　still　open。〃

There　ensued　another　month　of　idleness；　during　which　Jimmy　again　had　recourse　to　the　Help　Wanted　column。　The　Lizard　tried　during　the　first　week　to　find　something　for　him；　and　then　occurred　a　certain　very　famous　safe…robbery；　and　the　Lizard　disappeared。




CHAPTER　XV。

LITTLE　　EVA。

Early　in　March　Jimmy　was　again　forced　to　part　with　his　watch。　　As　he　was　coming　out　of　the　pawn…shop　late　in　the　afternoon　he　almost　collided　with　Little　Eva。

〃For　the　love　of　Mike！〃　cried　that　young　lady；　〃where　have　you　been　all　this　time；　and　what's　happened　to　you？　You　look　as　though　you'd　lost　your　last　friend。〃　And　then　noting　the　shop　from　which　he　had　emerged　and　the　deduction　being　all　too　obvious；　she　laid　one　of　her　shapely　hands　upon　the　sleeve　of　his　cheap；　ill…fitting　coat。　〃You're　up　against　it；　kid；　ain't　you？〃　she　asked。

〃Oh；　it's　nothing；〃　said　Jimmy　ruefully。　〃I'm　getting　used　to　it。〃

〃I　guess　you're　too　square；〃　said　the　girl。　〃I　heard　about　that　Brophy　business。〃　And　then　she　laughed　softly。　〃Do　you　know　who　the　biggest　backers　of　that　graft　were？〃

〃No；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Well；　don't　laugh　yourself　to　death；〃　she　admonished。　〃They　were　Steve　Murray　and　Feinheimer。　Talk　about　sore　pups！　You　never　saw　anything　like　it；　and　when　they　found　who　it　was　that　had　ditched　their　wonderful　scheme　they　threw　another　fit。　Say；　those　birds　have　been　weeping　on　each　other's　shoulders　ever　since。〃

〃Do　you　still　breakfast　at　Feinheimer's？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃Once　in　a　while；〃　said　the　girl；　〃but　not　so　often　now。〃　　And　she　dropped　her　eyes　to　the　ground　in　what；　in　another　than　Little　Eva；　might　have　been　construed　as　embarrassment。　〃Where　you　going　now？〃　she　asked　quickly。

〃To　eat；〃　said　Jimmy；　and　then　prompted　by　the　instincts　of　his　earlier　training　and　without　appreciable　pause：　〃Won't　you　take　dinner　with　me？〃　〃No；〃　said　the　girl；　〃but　you　are　going　to　take　dinner　with　me。　You're　out　of　a　job　and　broke；　and　the　chances　are　you've　just　this　minute　hocked　your　watch；　while　I　have　plenty　of　money。　No；〃　she　said　as　Jimmy　started　to　protest；　〃this　is　going　to　be　on　me。　I　never　knew　how　much　I　enjoyed　talking　with　you　at　breakfast　until　after　you　had　left　Feinheimer's。　I've　been　real　lonesome　ever　since；〃　she　admitted　frankly。　〃You　talk　to　me　different　from　what　the　other　men　do。〃　She　pressed　his　arm　gently。　〃You　talk　to　me；　kid；　just　like　a　fellow　might　talk　to　his　sister。〃

Jimmy　didn't　know　just　what　rejoinder　to　make；　and　so　he　made　none。　　As　a　matter　of　fact；　he　had