the efficiency expert-第22节

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ere　that　I　have　not　even　dared　as　yet　to　tell　your　father。　The　whole　future　of　the　business　may　depend　upon　my　being　there　during　the　next　few　weeks。　If　I　wasn't　sure　of　what　I　am　saying　I　might　consider　acceding　to　your　demands　rather　than　to　embarrass　you　with　certain　knowledge　which　I　have。〃

〃You　refuse　to　leave；　then？〃　she　demanded。

〃I　do；〃　he　said。

〃Very　well；〃　she　replied；　〃I　shall　tell　father　when　he　returns　to　this　room　just　what　I　know　of　you。〃

〃Will　you　tell　him；〃　asked　Jimmy；　〃that　you　went　to　the　training　quarters　of　a　prize…fighter；　or　that　you　dined　unescorted　at　Feinheimer's　at　night　and　were　an　object　of　the　insulting　attentions　of　such　a　notorious　character　as　Steve　Murray？〃

The　girl　flushed。　〃You　would　tell　him　that？〃　she　demanded。　〃Oh；　of　course；　I　might　have　known　that　you　would。　It　is　difficult　to　realize　that　any　one　dining　at　my　father's　home　is　not　a　gentleman。　I　had　forgotten　for　the　moment。〃

〃Yes；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃I　would　tell　him；　not　from　a　desire　to　harm　you；　but　because　this　is　the　only　way　that　I　can　compel　you　to　refrain　from　something　that　would　result　in　inestimable　harm　to　your　father。〃




CHAPTER　XXI。

JIMMY　TELLS　THE　TRUTH。

Mr。　Compton　returned　to　the　room　before　　Jimmy　　had　　discovered　whether　the　girl　intended　to　expose　him　or　not。　She　said　nothing　about　the　matter　during　dinner；　and　immediately　thereafter　she　excused　herself；　leaving　the　two　men　alone。

During　the　conversation　that　ensued　Jimmy　discovered　that　Bince　had　been　using　every　argument　at　his　command　to　induce　Compton　to　let　him　go；　as　well　as　getting　rid　of　the　certified　public　accountants。

〃I　can't　help　but　feel；〃　said　Compton；　〃that　possibly　there　may　be　some　reason　in　what　Mr。　Bince　says；　for　he　seems　to　feel　more　strongly　on　this　subject　than　almost　any　question　that　has　ever　arisen　in　the　plant　wherein　we　differed；　and　it　may　he　that　I　am　doing　wrong　to　absolutely　ignore　his　wishes　in　the　matter。

〃As　a　matter　of　fact；　Mr。　Torrance；　I　have　reached　the　point　where　I　don't　particularly　relish　a　fight；　as　I　did　in　the　past。　I　would　rather　have　things　run　along　smoothly　than　to　have　this　feeling　of　unrest　and　unpleasantness　that　now　exists　in　the　plant。　I　do　not　say　that　you　are　to　blame　for　it；　but　the　fact　remains　that　ever　since　you　came　I　have　been　constantly　harassed　by　this　same　unpleasant　condition　which　grows　worse　day　by　day。　There　is　no　question　but　what　you　have　accomplished　a　great　deal　for　us　of　a　practical　nature；　but　I　believe　in　view　of　Mr。　Bince's　feelings　in　the　matter　that　we　had　better　terminate　our　arrangement。〃

Jimmy　suddenly　noted　how　old　and　tired　his　employer　looked。　　He　realized；　too；　that　for　a　week　he　had　been　fighting　an　incipient　influenza　and　that　doubtless　his　entire　mental　attitude　was　influenced　by　the　insidious　workings　of　the　disease；　one　of　the　marked　symptoms　of　which　he　knew　to　be　a　feeling　of　despondency　and　mental　depression；　which　sapped　both　courage　and　initiative。

They　were　passing　through　the　hallway　from　the　dining…room　to　the　library；　and　as　Compton　concluded　what　was　equivalent　to　Jimmy's　discharge；　he　had　stopped　and　turned　toward　the　younger　man。　They　were　standing　near　the　entrance　to　the　music…room　in　which　Elizabeth　chanced　to　be；　so　that　she　overheard　her　father's　words；　and　not　without　a　smile　of　satisfaction　and　relief。

〃Mr。　Compton；〃　replied　Jimmy；　〃no　matter　what　you　do　with　me；　you　simply　must　not　let　those　C。P。A。's　go　until　they　have　completed　their　work。　I　know　something　of　what　it　is　going　to　mean　to　your　business；　but　I　would　rather　that　the　reports　come　from　them　than　from　me。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Compton。

〃I　didn't　want　to　be　the　one　to　tell　you；〃　replied　Jimmy。　〃I　preferred　that　the　C。P。A。's　discover　it；　as　they　will　within　the　next　day　or　twoyou　are　being　systematically　robbed。　I　suspected　it　before　I　had　been　there　ten　days；　and　I　was　absolutely　sure　of　it　at　the　time　I　suggested　you　employ　the　C。P。A。's。　You　are　being　robbed　at　the　rate　of　approximately　one　thousand　dollars　a　week。〃

〃How？〃　asked　Compton。

〃I　would　rather　you　would　wait　for　the　report　of　the　C。P。A。's；〃　returned　Jimmy。

〃I　wish　to　know　now；〃　said　Compton；　〃how　I　am　being　robbed。〃

Jimmy　looked　straight　into　the　older　man's　eyes。　　〃Through　the　pay…roll；〃　he　replied。

For　a　full　minute　Compton　did　not　speak。

〃You　may　continue　with　your　work　in　the　plant；〃　he　said　at　last；　〃and　we　will　keep　the　accountants；　for　a　while　at　least。　And　now　I　am　going　to　ask　you　to　excuse　me。　I　find　that　I　tire　very　quickly　since　I　have　been　threatened　with　influenza。〃

Jimmy　bid　his　employer　good　night；　and　Mr。　Compton　turned　into　the　library　as　the　former　continued　along　across　the　hall　to　the　entrance。　He　was　putting　on　his　overcoat　when　Elizabeth　Compton　emerged　from　the　music…room　and　approached　him。

〃I　overheard　your　conversation　with　father。〃　she　said。　〃It　seems　to　me　that　you　are　making　a　deliberate　attempt　to　cause　him　worry　and　apprehensionyou　are　taking　advantage　of　his　illness　to　frighten　him　into　keeping　you　in　his　employ。　I　should　think　you　would　be　ashamed　of　yourself。〃

〃I　am　sorry　that　you　think　that；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃If　it　was　not　for　your　father　and　you　I　wouldn't　have　urged　the　matter　at　all。〃

〃You　are　just　doing　it　to　hold　your　position；〃　retorted　the　girl；　〃and　now；　by　threats　of　blackmail　you　prevent　me　from　exposing　youyou　are　a　despicable　cur。〃

Jimmy　felt　the　blood　mounting　to　his　face。　He　was　mortified　and　angry；　and　yet　he　was　helpless　because　his　traducer　was　a　woman。　Unconsciously　he　drew　himself　to　his　full　height。

〃You　will　have　to　think　about　me　as　you　please；〃　he　said；　〃I　cannot　influence　that；　but　I　want　you　to　understand　that　you　are　not　to　interfere　with　my　work。　I　think　we　understand　one　another　perfectly；　Miss　Compton。　Good　night。〃

And　as　he　closed　the　door　behind　him　he　left　a　very　angry　young　lady　biting　her　lower　lip　and　almost　upon　the　verge　of　angry　tears。

〃The　boor；〃　she　exclaimed；　〃he　dared　to　order　me　about　and　threaten　me。〃

The　telephone　interrupted　her　unhappy　train　of　thoughts。　　It　was　Bince。

〃I　am　sorry；　Elizabeth；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　won't　be　able　to　come　up　this　evening。　I　have　some　important　business　to　attend　to。　How　is　your　father？〃

〃He　seems　very　tired　and　despondent；〃　replied　Elizabeth。　〃That　efficiency　person　was　here　to　dinner。　He　just　left。〃

She　could　not　see　the　startled　and　angry　expression　of　Bince's　face'　as　he　received　this　information。　〃Torrance　was　there？〃　he　asked。　〃How　did　that　happen？〃

〃Father　asked　him　to　dinner；　and　when　he　wanted　to　discharge　the　fellow　Torrance　told　him　something　that　upset　father　terribly；　and　urged　that　he　be　kept　a　little　while　longer；　to　which　father　agreed。〃

〃What　did　he　tell　him？〃　asked　Bince。

〃Oh；　some　alarmist　tale　about　somebody　robbing　father。　　I　didn't　quite　make　out　what　it　was　all　about；　but　it　had　something　to　do　with　the　pay…roll。〃

Bince　went　white。　〃Don't　believe　anything　that　fellow　says；〃　he　exclaimed　excitedly：　〃he's　nothing　but　a　crook。　Elizabeth；　can't　you　make　your　father　realize　that　he　ought　to　get　rid　of　the　man；　that　he　ought　to　leave　things　to　me　instead　of　trusting　an　absolute　stranger？〃

〃I　have；〃　replied　the　girl；　〃and　he　was　on　the　point　of　doing　it　until　Torrance　told　him　this　story。〃

〃Something　will　have　to　be　done；〃　said　Bince；　〃at　once。　　I'll　be　over　to　see　your　father　in　the　morning。　Good…by；　dear；〃　and　he　hung　up　the　receiver。

After　Jimmy　left　the　Compton　home　he　started　to　walk　down…town。　　It　was　too　early　to　go　to　his　dismal　little　room　on　Indiana　Avenue。　The　Lizard　was　still　away。　He　had　seen　nothing　of　him　for　weeks；　and　with　his　going　he　had　come　to　realize　that　he　had　rather　depended　upon　the　Lizard　for　company。　He　was　full　of　interesting　stories　of　the　underworld　and　his　dry　humor　and　strange　philosophy　amused　and　entertained　Jimmy。

And　now　as　he　walked　along　the　almost　deserted　drive　after　his　recent　unpleasant　scene　with　Elizabeth　Compton　he　felt　more　blue　and　lonely　than　he　had　for　many　weeks。　He　craved　human　companionship；　and　so　strong　was　the　urge　that　his　thoughts　naturally　turned　to　the　only　person　other　than　the　Lizard　who　seemed　to　have　taken　any　particularly　kindly　interest　in　him。　Acting　on　the　impulse　he　turned　west　at　the　first　cross　street　until　he　came　to　a　drugstore。　Entering　a　telephone…booth　he　called　a　certain　number　and　a　moment　later　had　his　connection。

〃Is　that　you；　Edith？〃　he　asked；　and　at　the　affirmative　reply；　〃this　is　Jimmy　Torrance。　I'm　feeling　terribly　lonesome。　I　was　wondering　if　I　couldn't　drag　you　out　to　listen　to　my　troubles？〃

〃Surest　thing　you　know；〃　cried　the　girl。　　〃Where　are　you？〃　　He　told　her。　〃Take　a　Clark　Street　car；〃　she　told　him；　〃and　I'll　be　at　the　corner　of　North　Avenue　by　the　time　you　get　there。〃

As　the　girl　hung　up　the　receiver　and　turned　from　the　phone　a　slightly　quizzical　expression　reflected　some　thought　that　was　in　her　mind。　〃I　wonder；〃　she　said　as　she　returned　to　her　room；　〃if　he　is　going　to　be　like　the　rest？〃

She　seated　herself　before　her　mirror　and　critically　examined　her　reflection　in　the　glass。　She　knew　she　was　good…looking。　No　need　of　a　mirror　to　tell　her　that。　Her　youth　and　her　good　looks　had　been　her　stock　in　t