the efficiency expert-第16节
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Jimmy didn't know just what rejoinder to make； and so he made none。 As a matter of fact； he had not realized that he had said or done anything to win her confidence； nor could he explain his attitude toward her in the light of what he knew of her life and vocation。 There is a type of man that respects and reveres woman…hood for those inherent virtues which are supposed to be the natural attributes of the sex because in their childhood they have seen them exemplified in their mothers； their sisters and in the majority of women and girls who were parts of the natural environment of their early lives。
It is difficult ever entirely to shatter the faith of such men； and however they may be wronged by individuals of the opposite sex their subjective attitude toward woman in the abstract is one of chivalrous respects。 As far as outward appearances were concerned Little Eva might have passed readily as a paragon of all the virtues。 As yet； there was no sign nor line of dissipation marked upon her piquant face； nor in her consociation with Jimmy was there ever the slightest reference to or reminder of her vocation。
They chose a quiet and eminently respectable dining place； and after they had ordered； Jimmy spread upon the table an evening paper he had purchased upon the street。
〃Help me find a job；〃 he said to the girl； and together the two ran through the want columns。
〃Here's a bunch of them；〃 cried the girl laughingly； 〃all in one ad。 Night cook； one hundred and fifty dollars； swing man； one hundred and forty dollars； roast cook； one hundred and twenty dollars； broiler； one hundred and twenty dollars。 I'd better apply for that。 Fry cook； one hundred and ten dollars。 Oh； here's something for Steve Murray： chicken butcher； eighty dollars； here's a job I'd like；〃 she cried； 〃ice…cream man； one hundred dollars。〃
〃Quit your kidding；〃 said Jimmy。 〃I'm looking for a job； not an acrostic。〃
〃Well；〃 she said； 〃here are two solid pages of them； but nobody seems to want a waiter。 What else can you do？〃 she asked smiling up at him。
〃I can drive a milk…wagon；〃 said Jimmy； 〃but the drivers are all on strike。〃
〃Now； be serious；〃 she announced。 〃Let's look for something really good。 Here's somebody wants a finishing superintendent for a string music instrument factory； and a business manager and electrical engineer in this one。 What's an efficiency expert？〃
〃Oh； he's a fellow who gums up the works； puts you three weeks behind in less than a week and has all your best men resigning inside of a month。 I know； because my dad had one at his plant a few years ago。〃
The girl looked at him for a moment。 〃Your father is a business man？〃 she asked； and without waiting for an answer； 〃Why don't you work for him？〃
It was the first reference that Jimmy had ever made to his connections or his past。
〃Oh；〃 he said； 〃he's a long way off andif I'm no good to any one here I certainly wouldn't be any good to him。〃
His companion made no comment； but resumed her reading of the advertisement before her：
WANTED； an Efficiency ExpertMachine works wants man capable of thoroughly reorganizing large business along modern lines； stopping leaks and systematizjng every activity。 Call International Machine Company； West Superior Street。 Ask for Mr。 Compton。
〃What do you have to know to be an efficiency expert？〃 asked the girl。
〃From what I saw of the bird I just mentioned the less one knows about anything the more successful he should be as an efficiency expert； for he certainly didn't know anything。 And yet the results from kicking everybody in the plant out of his own particular rut eventually worked wonders for the organization。 If the man had had any sense； tact or diplomacy nothing would have been accomplished。〃
〃Why don't you try it？〃 asked the girl。
Jimmy looked at her with a quizzical smile。 〃Thank you；〃 he said。
〃Oh； I didn't mean it that way；〃 she cried。 〃But from what you tell me I imagine that all a man needs is a front and plenty of punch。 You've got the front all right with your looks and gift of gab； and I leave it to Young Brophy if you haven't got the punch。〃
〃Maybe that's not the punch an efficiency expert needs；〃 suggested Jimmy。
〃It might be a good thing to have up his sleeve；〃 replied the girl； and then suddenly； 〃do you believe in hunches？〃
〃Sometimes；〃 replied Jimmy。
〃Well； this is a hunch； take it from me；〃 she continued。 〃I'll bet you can land that job and make good。〃
〃What makes you think so？ 〃asked Jimmy。
〃I don't know；〃 she replied； 〃but you know what a woman's intuition is。〃
〃I suppose；〃 said Jimmy； 〃that it's the feminine of hunch。 But however good your hunch or intuition may be it would certainly get a terrible jolt if I presented myself to the head of the International Machine Company in this scenery。 Do you see anything about my clothes that indicates efficiency？〃
〃It isn't your clothes that count； Jimmy；〃 she said； 〃it's the combination of that face of yours and what you've got in your head。 You're the most efficient looking person I ever saw； and if you want a reference I'll say this much for you； you're the most efficient waiter that Feinheimer ever had。 He said so himself； even after he canned you。〃
〃Your enthusiasm；〃 said Jimmy； 〃is contagious。 If it wasn't for these sorry rags of mine I'd take a chance on that hunch of yours。〃
The girl laid her hand impulsively upon his。
〃Won't you let me help you？〃 she asked。 〃I'd like to； and it will only be a loan if you wanted to look at it that way。 Enough to get you a decent…looking outfit； such an outfit as you ought to have to land a good job。 I know； and everybody else knows； that clothes do count no matter what we say to the contrary。 I'll bet you're some looker when you're dolled up！ Please；〃 she continued 〃just try it for a gamble？〃
〃I don't see how I can；〃 he objected。 〃The chances are I could never pay you back； and there is no reason in the world why you should loan me money。 You are certainly under no obligation to me。〃
〃I wish you would let me； Jimmy；〃 she said。 〃It would make me awfully happy！〃
The man hesitated。
〃Oh；〃 she said； 〃I'm going to do it； anyway。 Wait a minute；〃 and； rising； she left the table。
In a few minutes she returned。 〃Here；〃 she said； 〃you've got to take it；〃 and extended her hand toward him beneath the edge of the table。 〃I can't；〃 said Jimmy。 〃It wouldn't be right。〃
The girl looked at him and flushed。
〃Do you mean；〃 she said； 〃because it's mybecause of what I am？〃
〃Oh； no；〃 said Jimmy； 〃please don't think that！〃 And impulsively he took her hand beneath the table。 At the contact the girl caught her breath with a little quick…drawn sigh。
〃Here； take it！〃 she said； and drawing her hand away quickly； left a roll of bills in Jimmy's hand。
CHAPTER XVI。
JIMMY THROWS A BLUFF。
That afternoon Mr。 Harold Bince had entered his superior's office with an afternoon paper in his hand。
〃What's the idea of this ad； Mr。 Compton？〃 he asked。 〃Why do we need an efficiency expert？ I wish you had let me know what you intended doing。〃
〃I knew that if I told you； Harold； you would object；〃 said the older man； 〃and I thought I would have a talk with several applicants before saying anything about it to any one。 Of course； whoever we get will work with you； but I would rather not have it generally known about the plant。 There seems to be a leak somewhere and evidently we are too close to the work to see it ourselves。 It will require an outsider to discover it。〃
〃I am very much opposed to the idea；〃 said Bince。 〃These fellows usually do nothing more than disrupt an organization。 We have a force that has been here； many of them； for years。 There is as little lost motion in this plant as in any in the country； and if we start in saddling these men with a lot of red tape which will necessitate their filling out innumerable forms for every job； about half their time will be spent in bookkeeping； which can just as well be done here in the office as it is now。 I hope that you will reconsider your intention and let us work out our own solution in a practical manner； which we can do better in the light of our own experience than can an outsider who knows nothing of our peculiar problems。〃
〃We will not permit the organization to be disrupted；〃 replied Mr。 Compton。 〃It may do a lot of good to get a new angle on our problems and at least it will do no harm。〃
〃I can't agree with you；〃 replied Bince。 〃I think it will do a lot of harm。〃
Compton looked at his watch。 〃It is getting late； Harold；〃 he said； 〃and this is pay…day。 I should think Everett could help you with the pay…roll。〃 Everett was the cashier。
〃I prefer to do it myself；〃 replied Bince。 〃Everett has about all he can do； and anyway； I don't like to trust it to any one else。〃 And realizing that Compton did not care to discuss the matter of the efficiency expert further Bince returned to his own office。
The following afternoon the office boy entered Mr。 Compton's office。 〃A gentleman to see you； Sir；〃 he announced。 〃He said to tell you that he came in reply to your advertisement。〃
〃Show him in；〃 instructed Compton；
