the efficiency expert-第17节

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　that　he　came　in　reply　to　your　advertisement。〃

〃Show　him　in；〃　instructed　Compton；　and　a　moment　later　Jimmy　entereda　rehabilitated　Jimmy。　Upon　his　excellent　figure　the　ready…maid　suit　had　all　the　appearance　of　faultlessly　tailored　garments。　Compton　looked　up　at　his　visitor；　and　with　the　glance　he　swiftly　appraised　Jimmya　glance　that　assured　him　that　here　might　be　just　the　man　he　wanted；　for　intelligence；　aggressiveness　and　efficiency　were　evidently　the　outstanding　characteristics　of　the　young　man　before　him。　After　Jimmy　had　presented　himself　the　other　motioned　him　to　a　chair。

〃I　am　looking；〃　said　Mr。　Compton；　〃for　an　experienced　man　who　can　come　in　here　and　find　out　just　what　is　wrong　with　us。　We　have　an　old…established　business　which　has　been　making　money　for　years。　We　are　taking　all　the　work　that　we　can　possibly　handle　at　the　highest　prices　we　have　ever　received；　and　yet　our　profits　are　not　at　all　commensurate　with　the　volume　of　business。　It　has　occurred　to　me　that　an　experienced　man　from　the　outside　would　be　able　to　more　quickly　put　his　finger　on　the　leaks　and　stop　them。　Now　tell　me　just　what　your　experience　has　been　and　we　will　see　if　we　can　come　to　some　understanding。〃

From　his　pocket　Jimmy　drew　a　half…dozen　envelopes；　and　taking　the　contents　from　them　one　by　one　laid　them　on　the　desk　before　Mr。　Compton。　On　the　letter…heads　of　half　a　dozen　large　out…of…town　manufacturers　in　various　lines　were　brief　but　eulogistic　comments　upon　the　work　done　in　their　plants　by　Mr。　James　Torrance；　Jr。　As　he　was　reading　them　Mr。　Compton　glanced　up　by　chance　to　see　that　the　face　of　the　applicant　was　slightly　flushed；　which　he　thought　undoubtedly　due　to　the　fact　that　the　other　knew　he　was　reading　the　words　of　praise　contained　in　the　letters；　whereas　the　truth　of　the　matter　was　that　Jimmy's　color　was　heightened　by　a　feeling　of　guilt。

〃These　are　very　good；〃　said　Mr。　Compton；　looking　up　from　the　letters。　〃I　don't　know　that　I　need　go　any　further。　A　great　deal　depends　on　a　man's　personality　in　a　position　of　this　sort；　and　from　your　appearance　I　should　imagine　that　you're　all　right　along　that　line　and　you　seem　to　have　had　the　right　kind　of　experience。　Now；　what　arrangement　can　we　make？〃

Jimmy　had　given　the　matter　of　pay　considerable　thought；　but　the　trouble　was　that　be　did　not　know　what　an　efficiency　expert　might　be　expected　to　demand。　He　recalled　vaguely　that　the　one　his　father　had　employed　got　something　like　ten　dollars　a　day；　or　one　hundred　a　day；　Jimmy　couldn't　remember　which；　and　so　he　was　afraid　that　he　might　ask　too　much　and　lose　the　opportunity；　or　too　little　and　reveal　that　he　had　no　knowledge　of　the　value　of　such　services。

〃I　would　rather　leave　that　to　you；〃　he　said。　〃What　do　you　think　the　work　would　be　worth　to　you？〃

〃Do　you　expect　to　continue　in　this　line　of　work？〃　asked　Mr。　Compton。　　〃When　this　job　is　finished　you　would　want　to　go　somewhere　else；　I　suppose？〃

Jimmy　saw　an　opening　and　leaped　for　it。　〃Oh；　no！〃　he　replied。　〃On　the　contrary；　I　wouldn't　mind　working　into　a　permanent　position；　and　if　you　think　there　might　be　a　possibility　of　that　I　would　consider　a　reasonable　salary　arrangement　rather　than　the　usual　contract　rate　for　expert　service。〃

〃It　is　very　possible；〃　said　Mr。　Compton；　〃that　if　you　are　the　right　man　there　would　be　a　permanent　place　in　the　organization　for　you。　With　that　idea　in　mind　I　should　say　that　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　month　might　be　a　mutually　fair　arrangement　to　begin　with。〃

Two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　month！　　Jimmy　tried　to　look　bored；　but　not　too　bored。

〃Of　course；〃　he　said；　〃with　the　idea　that　it　may　become　a　permanent；　well…paying　position　I　think　I　might　be　inclined　to　consider　itin　fact；　I　am　very　favorably　inclined　toward　it；〃　he　added　hastily　as　he　thought　he　noted　a　sudden　waning　of　interest　in　Compton's　expression。　〃But　be　sure　yourself　that　I　am　the　man　you　want。　For　instance；　my　methodsyou　should　know　something　of　them　first。〃

In　Jimmy's　pocket　was　a　small　book　he　had　purchased　at　a　second…hand　bookshop　the　evening　before；　upon　the　cover　of　which　appeared　the　title　〃How　to　Get　More　Out　of　Your　Factory。〃　He　had　not　had　sufficient　time　to　study　it　thoroughly；　but　had　succeeded　in　memorizing　several　principal　headings　on　the　contents　page。

〃At　first；〃　he　explained；　〃I　won't　seem　to　be　accomplishing　much；　as　I　always　lay　the　foundation　of　my　future　work　by　studying　my　men。　Some　men　have　that　within　them　which　spurs　them　on；　while　some　need　artificial　initiativeoutside　encouragement；〃　he　quoted　glibly　from　〃How　to　Get　More　Out　of　Your　Factory。〃　〃Some　men　extend　themselves　under　stern　discipline；　some　respond　only　to　a　gentle　rein。　I　study　menthe　men　over　me；　under　me；　around　me。　I　study　them　and　learn　how　to　get　from　each　the　most　that　is　in　him。　At　the　same　time　I　shall　be　looking　for　leaks　and　investigating　timekeeping　methods；　wage…paying　systems　and　planning　on　efficiency　producers。　Later　I　shall　start　reducing　costs　by　studying　machines；　handling　material　economically　and　producing　power　at　lowest　cost；　keeping　the　product　moving；　making　environment　count　on　the　balance…sheet　and　protecting　against　accident　and　fire。〃　This　was　as　far　as　Jimmy　had　memorized；　and　so　he　stopped。

〃I　think；〃　said　Mr。　Compton；　〃that　you　have　the　right　idea。　　Some　of　your　points　are　not　entirely　clear　to　me；　as　there　are　many　modern　methods　that　I　have　not；　I　am　sorry　to　say；　investigated　sufficiently。〃

Jimmy　did　not　think　it　necessary　to　explain　that　they　were　not　clear　to　him　either。

〃And　now；〃　said　Compton；　〃if　you　are　satisfied　with　the　salary；　when　can　you　start？〃

Jimmy　rose　with　a　brisk　and　businesslike　manner。　〃I　am　free　now；〃　he　said；　〃with　the　exception　of　a　little　personal　business　which　I　can　doubtless　finish　up　tomorrowsuppose　I　come　Thursday？〃

〃Good；〃　exclaimed　Compton；　〃but　before　you　go　I　want　you　to　meet　our　assistant　general　manager；　Mr。　Bince。〃　And　he　led　Jimmy　toward　Bince's　office。

〃This　is　Mr。　Torrance；　Harold；〃　said　Mr。　Compton　as　they　entered；　〃Mr。　Bince；　Mr。　Torrance。　Mr。　Torrance　is　going　to　help　us　systematize　the　plant。　He　will　report　directly　to　me　and　I　know　you　will　do　everything　in　your　power　to　help　him。　You　can　go　to　Mr。　Bince　for　anything　in　the　way　of　information　you　require；　and　Harold；　when　Mr。　Torrance　comes　Thursday　I　wish　you　would　introduce　him　to　Everett　and　the　various　department　heads　and　explain　that　they　are　to　give　him　full　cooperation。　And　now；　as　I　have　an　appointment；　I　shall　have　to　ask　you　to　excuse　me。　I　will　see　you　Thursday。　If　there　are　any　questions　you　want　to　ask；　Mr。　Bince　will　be　glad　to　give　you　any　information　you　wish　or　care　for。〃

Jimmy　had　felt　from　the　moment　that　he　was　introduced　to　Bince　that　the　latter　was　antagonistic　and　now　that　the　two　were　alone　together　he　was　not　long　left　in　doubt　as　to　the　correctness　of　his　surmise。　As　soon　as　the　door　had　closed　behind　Mr。　Compton　Bince　wheeled　toward　Jimmy。

〃I　don't　mind　telling　you；　Mr。　Torrance；〃　he　said；　〃that　I　consider　the　services　of　an　expert　absolutely　unnecessary；　but　if　Mr。　Compton　wishes　to　experiment　I　will　interfere　in　no　way　and　I　shall　help　you　all　I　can；　but　I　sincerely　hope　that　you；　on　your　part；　will　refrain　from　interfering　with　my　activities。　As　a　matter　of　fact；　you　won　t　have　to　leave　this　office　to　get　all　the　information　you　need；　and　if　you　will　come　to　me　I　can　make　it　easy　for　you　to　investigate　the　entire　workings　of　the　plant　and　save　you　a　great　deal　of　unnecessary　personal　labor。　I　suppose　that　you　have　had　a　great　deal　of　experience　along　this　line？〃

Jimmy　nodded　affirmatively。

〃Just　how　do　you　purpose　proceeding？〃

〃Oh；　well；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃each　one　of　us　really　has　a　system　of　his　own。　　At　first　I　won't　seem　to　be　accomplishing　much；　as　I　always　lay　the　foundation　of　my　future　work　by　studying　my　men。　Some　men　have　that　within　them　which　spurs　them　on；　while　some　need　artificial　initiativeoutside　encouragement。〃　He　hoped　that　the　door　to　Compton's　office　was　securely　closed。

〃Some　men　extend　themselves　under　stern　discipline；　some　respond　only　to　a　gentle　rein。　I　study　menthe　men　over　me；　under　me；　around　me。　I　study　them　and　learn　how　to　get　from　each　the　most　that　is　in　him。　At　the　same　time　I　shall　be　looking　for　leaks　and　investigating　time…keeping　methods　〃he　was　looking　straight　at　Bince　and　he　could　not　help　but　note　the　slight　narrowing　of　the　other's　lids　〃wage…paying　systems　and　planning　on　efficiency　producers。〃

Here　he　hesitated　a　moment　as　though　weighing　his　words；　though　as　a　matter　of　fact　he　had　merely　forgotten　the　title　of　the　next　chapter；　but　presently　he　went　on　again：

〃Later　I　shall　start　reducing　costs　by　studying　machines；　handling　material　economically　and　producing　power　at　lowest　costs：　keeping　the　product　moving；　making　environment　count　on　the　balance…sheet　and　protecting　against　accident　and　fire。〃

〃Is　that　all？〃　asked　Mr。　Bince。

〃Oh；　no；　indeed！〃　said　Jimmy。　〃That's　just　a　very　brief　outline　of　the　way　I　shall　start。〃

〃Ah！〃　said　Mr。　Bince。　〃And　just　how；　may　I　ask；　do　you　make　environment　count　on　the　balance…sheet？　I　do　not　quite　understand。〃

Jimmy　was　mentally　gasping　and　going　down　for　the　third　time。　He　had　wondered　when　he　read　that　chapter　title　just　w