the efficiency expert-第3节

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Having　reached　this　decision；　and　following　his　habitual　custom；　he　permitted　no　grass　to　grow　beneath　his　feet。　Writing　out　an　ad；　he　reviewed　it　carefully；　compared　it　with　others　that　he　saw　upon　the　printed　page；　made　a　few　changes；　rewrote　it；　and　then　descended　to　the　lobby；　where　he　called　a　cab　and　was　driven　to　the　office　of　one　of　the　area's　metropolitan　morning　newspapers。

Jimmy　felt　very　important　as　he　passed　through　the　massive　doorway　into　the　great　general　offices　of　the　newspaper。　Of　course；　he　didn't　exactly　expect　that　he　would　be　ushered　into　the　presence　of　the　president　or　business　manager；　or　that　even　the　advertising　manager　would　necessarily　have　to　pass　upon　his　copy；　but　there　was　within　him　a　certain　sensation　that　at　that　instant　something　was　transpiring　that　in　later　years　would　be　a　matter　of　great　moment；　and　he　was　really　very　sorry　for　the　publishers　of　the　newspaper　that　they　did　not　know　who　it　was　who　was　inserting　an　ad　in　their　Situations　Wanted　column。

He　could　not　help　but　watch　the　face　of　the　young　man　who　received　his　ad　and　counted　the　words；　as　he　was　sure　that　the　clerk's　facial　expression　would　betray　his　excitement。　It　was　a　great　moment　for　Jimmy　Torrance。　He　realized　that　it　was　probably　the　greatest　moment　of　his　lifethat　here　Jimmy　Torrance　ceased　to　be；　and　James　Torrance；　Jr。；　Esq。；　began　his　career。　But　though　he　carefully　watched　the　face　of　the　clerk；　he　was　finally　forced　to　admit　that　the　young　man　possessed　wonderful　control　over　his　facial　expression。

〃That　bird　has　a　regular　poker…face；〃　mused　Jimmy；　〃never　batted　an　eye；〃　and　paying　for　his　ad　he　pocketed　the　change　and　walked　out。

〃Let's　see；〃　he　figured；　〃it　will　he　in　tomorrow　morning's　edition。　　The　tired　business　man　will　read　it　either　at　breakfast　or　after　he　reaches　his　office。　I　understand　that　there　are　three　million　people　here　in　Chicago。　Out　of　that　three　million　it　is　safe　to　assume　that　one　million　will　read　my　advertisement；　and　of　that　one…million　there　must　be　at　least　one　thousand　who　have　responsible　positions　which　are；　at　present；　inadequately　filled。

〃Of　course；　the　truth　of　the　matter　is　that　there　are　probably　tens　of　thousands　of　such　positions；　but　to　be　conservative　I　will　assume　that　there　are　only　one　thousand；　and　reducing　it　still　further　to　almost　an　absurdity；　I　will　figure　that　only　ten　per　cent　of　those　reply　to　my　advertisement。　In　other　words；　at　the　lowest　possible　estimate　I　should　have　one　hundred　replies　on　the　first　day。　I　knew　it　was　foolish　to　run　it　for　three　days；　but　the　fellow　insisted　that　that　was　the　proper　way　to　do；　as　I　got　a　lower　rate。

〃By　taking　it　for　three　days；　however；　it　doesn't　seem　right　to　make　so　many　busy　men　waste　their　time　answering　the　ad　when　I　shall　doubtless　find　a　satisfactory　position　the　first　day。〃




CHAPTER　III。

THE　LIZARD。

That　night　Jimmy　attended　a　show；　and　treated　himself　to　a　lonely　dinner　afterward。　He　should　have　liked　very　much　to　have　looked　up　some　of　his　friends。　A　telephone　call　would　have　brought　invitations　to　dinner　and　a　pleasant　evening　with　convivial　companions；　but　he　had　mapped　his　course　and　he　was　determined　to　stick　to　it　to　the　end。

〃There　will　be　plenty　of　time；〃　he　thought；　〃for　amusement　after　I　have　gotten　a　good　grasp　of　my　new　duties。〃　Jimmy　elected　to　walk　from　the　theater　to　his　hotel；　and　as　he　was　turning　the　corner　from　Randolph　into　La　Salle　a　young　man　jostled　him。　An　instant　later　the　stranger　was　upon　his　knees；　his　wrist　doubled　suddenly　backward　and　very　close　to　the　breaking…point。

〃Wot　t'　hell　yuh　doin'？〃　he　screamed。

〃Pardon　me；〃　replied　Jimmy：　〃you　got　your　hand　in　the　wrong　pocket。　　I　suppose　you　meant　to　put　it　in　your　own；　but　you　didn't。〃

〃Aw；　g'wan；　lemme　go；〃　pleaded　the　stranger。　　〃I　didn't　get　nuthin'　you　ain't　got　the　goods　on　me。〃

Now；　such　a　tableau　as　Jimmy　and　his　new　acquaintance　formed　cannot　be　staged　at　the　corner　of　Randolph　and　La　Salle　beneath　an　arc　light；　even　at　midnight；　without　attracting　attention。　And　so　it　was　that　before　Jimmy　realized　it　a　dozen　curious　pedestrians　were　approaching　them　from　different　directions；　and　a　burly　blue…coated　figure　was　shouldering　his　way　forward。

Jimmy　had　permitted　his　captive　to　rise；　but　he　still　held　tightly　to　his　wrist　as　the　officer　confronted　them。　He　took　one　look　at　Jimmy's　companion；　and　then　grabbed　him　roughly　by　the　arm。　〃So；　it's　you　again；　is　it？〃　he　growled。

〃I　ain't　done　nuthin'；〃　muttered　the　man。

The　officer　looked　inquiringly　at　Jimmy。

〃What's　all　the　excitement　about？〃　asked　the　latter。　　〃My　friend　and　I　have　done　nothing。〃

〃Your　fri'nd　and　you？〃　replied　the　policeman。　　〃He　ain't　no　fri'nd　o'　yours；　or　yez　wouldn't　be　sayin'　so。〃

〃Well；　I'll　admit；〃　replied　Jimmy；　〃that　possibly　I　haven't　known　him　long　enough　to　presume　to　claim　any　close　friendship；　but　there's　no　telling　what　time　may　develop。〃

〃You　don't　want　him　pinched？〃　asked　the　policeman。

〃Of　course　not；〃　replied　Jimmy。　　〃Why　should　he　be　pinched？〃

The　officer　turned　roughly　upon　the　stranger；　shook　him　viciously　a　few　times；　and　then　gave　him　a　mighty　shove　which　all　but　sent　him　sprawling　into　the　gutter。

〃G'wan　wid　yez；〃　he　yelled　after　him；　〃and　if　I　see　ye　on　this　beat　again　I'll　run　yez　in。　An'　you〃he　turned　upon　Jimmy〃ye'd　betther　be　on　your　wayand　not　be　afther　makin'　up　with　ivery　dip　ye　meet。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃Have　a　cigar。〃

After　the　officer　had　helped　himself　and　condescended　to　relax　his　stern　features　into　the　semblance　of　a　smile　the　young　man　bid　him　good　night　and　resumed　his　way　toward　the　hotel。

〃Pretty　early　to　go　to　bed；〃　he　thought　as　he　reached　for　his　watch　to　note　the　time；　running　his　fingers　into　an　empty　pocket。　Gingerly　he　felt　in　another　pocket；　where　he　knew　his　watch　couldn't　possibly　be；　nor　was。　Carefully　Jimmy　examined　each　pocket　of　his　coat　and　trousers；　a　slow　and　broad　grin　illumining　his　face。

〃What　do　you　know　about　that？〃　he　mused。　　〃And　I　thought　I　was　a　wise　guy。〃

A　few　minutes　after　Jimmy　reached　his　room　the　office　called　him　on　the　telephone　to　tell　him　that　a　man　had　called　to　see　him。

〃Send　him　up；〃　said　Jimmy；　wondering　who　it　might　be；　since　he　was　sure　that　no　one　knew　of　his　presence　in　the　city。　He　tried　to　connect　the　call　in　some　way　with　his　advertisement；　but　inasmuch　as　that　had　been　inserted　blind　he　felt　that　there　could　be　no　possible　connection　between　that　and　his　caller。

A　few　minutes　later　there　was　a　knock　on　his　door；　and　in　response　to　his　summons　to　enter　the　door　opened；　and　there　stood　before　him　the　young　man　of　his　recent　encounter　upon　the　street。　The　latter　entered　softly；　closing　the　door　behind　him。　His　feet　made　no　sound　upon　the　carpet；　and　no　sound　came　from　the　door　as　he　closed　it；　nor　any　slightest　click　from　the　latch。　His　utter　silence　and　the　stealth　of　his　movements　were　so　pronounced　as　to　attract　immediate　attention。　He　did　not　speak　until　he　had　reached　the　center　of　the　room　and　halted　on　the　opposite　side　of　the　table　at　which　Jimmy　was　standing；　and　then　a　very　slow　smile　moved　his　lips；　though　the　expression　of　his　eyes　remained　unchanged。

〃Miss　anything？〃　he　asked。

〃Yes；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Here　it　is；〃　said　the　visitor；　laying　the　other's　watch　upon　the　table。

〃Why　this　spasm　of　virtue？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃Oh；　I　don't　know；〃　replied　the　other。　　〃I　guess　it's　because　you're　a　white　guy。　O'Donnell　has　been　trying　to　get　something　on　me　for　the　last　year。　He's　got　it　in　for　meI　wouldn't　cough　every　time　the　big　stiff　seen　me。〃

〃Sit　down；〃　said　Jimmy。

〃Naw；〃　said　the　other；　〃I　gotta　be　goin'。〃

〃Come；〃　insisted　the　host；　〃sit　down　for　a　few　minutes　at　least。　I　was　just　wishing　that　I　had　someone　to　talk　to。〃

The　other　sank　noiselessly　into　a　chair。　　〃All　right；　bo；〃　he　said。

Jimmy　proffered　him　his　cigar…case。

〃No；　thanks；〃　declined　the　visitor。　〃I'd　rather　have　a　coffin…nail；〃　which　Jimmy　forthwith　furnished。

〃I　should　think；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃that　your　particular　line　of　endeavor　would　prove　rather　hazardous　in　a　place　where　you　are　known　by　the　police。〃

The　other　smiled　and；　as　before；　with　his　lips　alone。

〃Naw；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　the　safest　place　to　work。　　If　ten　per　cent　of　the　bulls　know　me　I　got　that　much　on　them；　and　then　some；　because　any　boob　can　spot　any　one　o'　de　harness　bunch；　and　I　know　nearly　every　fly　on　the　department。　They're　the　guys　yuh　gotta　know；　and　usually　I　know　something　besides　their　names；　too；〃　and　again　his　lips　smiled。

〃How　much　of　your　time　do　you　have　to　put　in　at　your　occupation　to　make　a　living？〃　asked　Jimmy。

〃Sometimes　I　put　in　six　or　eight　hours　a　day；〃　replied　the　visitor。　　〃De　rush　hours　on　de　surface　line　are　usually　good　for　two　or　t'ree　hours　a　day；　but　I　been　layin'　off　dat　stuff　lately　and　goin'　in　fer　de　t'ater　crowd。　Dere's　more　money　and　shorter　hours。〃

〃You　confine　yourself；〃　asked　Jimmy；　〃toerahpocket…picking　solely？〃

Again　the　lip　smile。　〃I'll　tell　youse　sumpin'；　bo；　dat　dey　don't　none　o'　dem　big　stiffs　on　de　department　know。　De　dip　game　is　a　stall。　I　learned　it　when　I　was　a　kid；　an'　dese　yaps　t'ink　dat's　all　I　know；　and　I　keep　dem　t'inkin'　it　by　pullin'　stuff　under　der　noses　ofte