the efficiency expert- 第17部分

〃If；〃　he　reasoned；　〃I　cannot　find　in　any　plant　hundreds　of　operations　that　are　not　being　done　in　the　simplest　manner　it　will　he　because　I　haven't　even　ordinary　powers　of　observation　or　intelligence；〃　for　after　his　second　interview　with　Compton；　Jimmy　had　suddenly　realized　that　the　job　meant　something　to　him　beside　the　two　hundred　and　fifty　dollars　a　monththat　he　couldn't　deliberately　rob　Compton；　as　he　felt　that　he　would　be　doing　unless　he　could　give　value　received　in　services；　and　he　meant　to　do　his　best　to　accomplish　that　end。

He　knew　that　for　a　while　his　greatest　asset　would　be　bluff；　but　there　was　something　about　Mason　Compton　that　had　inspired　in　the　young　man　a　vast　respect　and　another　sentiment　that　he　realized　upon　better　acquaintance　might　ripen　into　affection。　Compton　reminded　him　in　many　ways　of　his　father；　and　with　the　realization　of　that　resemblance　Jimmy　felt　more　and　more　ashamed　of　the　part　he　was　playing；　but　now　that　he　had　gone　into　it　he　made　up　his　mind　that　he　would　stick　to　it；　and　there　was　besides　the　slight　encouragement　that　he　had　derived　from　the　enthusiasm　of　the　girl　who　had　suggested　the　idea　to　him　and　of　her　oft…repeated　assertion　relative　to　her　〃hunch〃；　that　he　would　make　good。




CHAPTER　XVIII。

THE　EFFICIENCY　EXPERT。

Unlike　most　other　plants　the　International　Machine　Company　paid　on　Monday；　and　it　was　on　the　Monday　following　his　assumption　of　his　new　duties　that　Jimmy　had　his　first　clash　with　Bince。　He　had　been　talking　with　Everett；　the　cashier；　whom；　in　accordance　with　his　〃method；〃　he　was　studying。　From　Everett　he　had　learned　that　it　was　pay…day　and　he　had　asked　the　cashier　to　let　him　see　the　pay…roll。

〃I　don't　handle　the　pay…roll；〃　replied　Everett　a　trifle　peevishly。　　〃Shortly　after　Mr。　Bince　was　made　assistant　general　manager　a　new　rule　was　promulgated；　to　the　effect　that　all　salaries　and　wages　were　to　be　considered　as　confidential　and　that　no　one　but　the　assistant　general　manager　would　handle　the　pay…rolls。　All　I　know　is　the　amount　of　the　weekly　check。　He　hires　and　fires　everybody　and　pays　everybody。〃

〃Rather　unusual；　isn't　it？〃　commented　Jimmy。

〃Very；〃　said　Everett。　〃Here's　some　of　us　have　been　with　Mr。　Compton　since　Bince　was　in　long　clothes；　and　then　he　comes　in　here　and　says　that　we　are　not　to　be　trusted　with　the　pay…roll。〃

〃Well；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃I　shall　have　to　go　to　him　to　see　it　then。〃

〃He　won't　show　it　to　you；〃　said　Everett。

〃Oh；　I　guess　he　will。〃　said　Jimmy；　and　a　moment　later　he　knocked　at　Bince's　office　door。　When　Bince　saw　who　it　was　he　turned　back　to　his　work　with　a　grunt。

〃I　am　sorry；　Torrance；〃　he　said；　〃but　I　can't　talk　with　you　just　now。　　I'm　very　busy。〃

〃Working　on　the　pay…roll？〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃Yes；〃　snarled　Bince。

〃That's　what　I　came　in　to　see；〃　said　the　efficiency　expert。

〃Impossible；〃　said　Bince。　　〃The　International　Machine　Company's　pay…roll　is　confidential；　absolutely　confidential。　Nobody　sees　it　but　me　or　Mr。　Compton　if　he　wishes　to。〃

〃I　understood　from　Mr。　Compton；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃that　I　was　to　have　full　access　to　all　records。〃

〃That　merely　applied　to　operation　records；〃　said　Bince。　　〃It　had　nothing　to　do　with　the　pay…roll。〃

〃I　should　consider　the　pay…roll　very　closely　allied　to　operations；〃　responded　Jimmy。

〃I　shouldn't；〃　said　Bince。

〃You　won't　let　me　see　it　then？〃　demanded　Jimmy。

〃Look　here；〃　said　Bince；　〃we　agreed　that　we　wouldn't　interfere　with　each　other。　I　haven't　interfered　with　you。　Now　don't　you　interfere　with　me。　This　is　my　work；　and　my　office　is　not　being　investigated　by　any　efficiency　expert　or　any　one　else。〃

〃I　don't　recall　that　I　made　any　such　agreement；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃I　must　insist　on　seeing　that　pay…roll。〃

Bince　turned　white　with　suppressed　anger；　and　then　suddenly　slamming　his　pen　on　the　desk；　he　wheeled　around　toward　the　other。

〃I　might　as　well　tell　you　something；〃　he　said；　〃that　will　make　your　path　easier　here；　if　you　know　it。　I　understand　that　you　want　a　permanent　job　with　us。　If　you　do　you　might　as　well　understand　now　as　any　other　time　that　you　have　got　to　be　satisfactory　to　me。　Of　course；　it　is　none　of　your　business；　but　it　may　help　you　to　understand　conditions　when　I　tell　you　that　I　am　to　marry　Mr。　Compton's　daughter；　and　when　I　do　that　he　expects　to　retire　from　business；　leaving　me　in　full　charge　here。　Now；　do　you　get　me？〃

Jimmy　had　involuntarily　acquired　antipathy　toward　Bince　at　their　first　meeting；　an　antipathy　which　had　been　growing　the　more　that　he　saw　of　the　assistant　general　manager。　This　fact；　coupled　with　Bince's　present　rather　nasty　manner；　was　rapidly　arousing　the　anger　of　the　efficiency　expert。　〃I　didn't　come　in　here；〃　he　said；　〃to　discuss　your　matrimonial　prospects；　Mr。　Bince。　I　came　in　here　to　see　the　pay…roll；　and　you　will　oblige　me　by　letting　me　see　it。〃

〃I　tell　you　again；〃　said　Bince；　〃once　and　for　all；　that　you　don't　see　the　pay…roll　nor　anything　else　connected　with　my　office；　and　you　will　oblige　me　by　not　bothering　me　any　longer。　As　I　told　you　when　you　first　came　in；　I　am　very　busy。〃

Jimmy　turned　and　left　the　room。　　He　was　on　the　point　of　going　to　Compton's　office　and　asking　for　authority　to　see　the　pay…roll；　and　then　it　occurred　to　him　that　Compton　would　probably　not　take　sides　against　his　assistant　general　manager　and　future　son…in…law。

〃I've　got　to　get　at　it　some　other　way；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃but　you　bet　your　life　I'm　going　to　get　at　it。　It　looks　to　me　as　though　there's　something　funny　about　that　pay…roll。〃

On　his　way　out　he　stopped　at　Everett's　cage。　〃What　was　the　amount　of　the　check　for　the　pay…roll　for　this　week；　Everett？〃　he　asked。

〃A　little　over　ninety…six　hundred　dollars。〃

〃Thanks；〃　said　Jimmy；　and　returned　to　the　shops　to　continue　his　study　of　his　men；　and　as　he　studied　them　he　asked　many　questions；　made　many　notes　in　his　little　note…book；　and　always　there　were　two　questions　that　were　the　same：　〃What　is　your　name？　What　wages　do　you　get？〃

〃I　guess；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃that　in　a　short　time　I　will　know　as　much　about　the　payroll　as　the　assistant　general　manager。〃

Nor　was　it　the　pay…roll　only　that　claimed　Jimmy's　attention。　He　found　that　several　handlings　of　materials　could　be　eliminated　by　the　adoption　of　simple　changes；　and　that　a　rearrangement　of　some　of　the　machines　removed　the　necessity　for　long　hauls　from　one　part　of　the　shop　to　another。　After　an　evening　with　the　little　volume　he　had　purchased　for　twenty…five　cents　in　the　second…hand　bookshop　he　ordered　changes　that　enabled　him　to　cut　five　men　from　the　pay…roll　and　at　the　same　time　do　the　work　more　expeditiously　and　efficiently。

〃Little　book；〃　he　said　one　evening；　〃I　take　my　hat　off　to　you。　You　are　the　best　two…bits'　worth　I　ever　purchased。〃

The　day　following　the　completion　of　the　changes　he　had　made　in　the　shop　he　was　in　Compton's　office。

〃Patton　was　explaining　some　of　the　changes　you　have　made；〃　remarked　Compton。　Patton　was　the　shop　foreman。　〃He　said　they　were　so　simple　that　he　wondered　none　of　us　had　thought　of　them　before。　I　quite　agree　with　him。〃

〃So　do　I；〃　returned　Jimmy；　〃but；　then；　my　whole　method　is　based　upon　simplicity。　〃And　his　mind　traveled　to　the　unpretentious　little　book　on　the　table　in　his　room　on　Indiana　Avenue。

〃The　feature　that　appeals　to　me　most　strongly　is　that　you　have　been　able　to　get　the　cooperation　of　the　men；〃　continued　Compton　〃that's　what　I　fearedthat　they　wouldn't　accept　your　suggestions。　How　did　you　do　it？〃

〃I　showed　them　how　they　could　turn　out　more　work　and　make　more　money　by　my　plan。　This　appealed　to　the　piece…workers。　I　demonstrated　to　the　others　that　the　right　way　is　the　easiest　wayI　showed　them　how　they　could　earn　their　wages　with　less　effort。〃

〃Good；〃　said　Compton。　〃You　are　running　into　no　difficulties　then？　　Is　there　any　way　in　which　I　can　help　you？〃

〃I　am　getting　the　best　kind　of　cooperation　from　the　men　in　the　shop；　practically　without　exception；〃　replied　Jimmy；　〃although　there　is　one　fellow；　a　straw　boss　named　Krovac；　who　does　not　seem　to　take　as　kindly　to　the　changes　I　have　made　as　the　others；　but　he　really　doesn't　amount　to　anything　as　an　obstacle。〃　Jimmy　also　thought　of　Bince　and　the　pay…roll；　but　he　was　still　afraid　to　broach　the　subject。　Suddenly　an　inspiration　came　to　him。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　believe　your　accounting　system　could　be　improvedit　will　take　me　months　to　get　around　to　it；　as　my　work　is　primarily　in　the　shop；　at　first；　at　least。　You　can　save　both　time　and　money　by　having　your　books　audited　by　a　firm　of　public　accountants　who　can　also　suggest　a　new　and　more　up…to…date　system。〃

〃Not　a　bad　idea；〃　said　Compton。　〃I　think　we　will　do　it。〃

For　another　half…hour　they　discussed　Jimmy's　work；　and　then　as　the　latter　was　leaving　Compton　stopped　him。

〃By　the　way；　you　don't　happen　to　know　of　a　good　stenographer；　do　you？　　　Miss　Withe　is　leaving　me　Saturday。〃

Jimmy　thought　a　moment。　　Instantly　he　thought　of　Little　Eva　and　what　she　had　said　of　her　experience　as　a　stenographer；　and　her　desire　to　abandon　her　present　life　for　something　in　the　line　of　her　former　work。　Here　was　a　chance　to　repay　her　in　some　measure　for　her　kindness　to　him。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃I　do　know　of　a　young　lady　who；　I　believe；　could　do　the　work。　Shall　I　have　her　call　on　you？〃

〃If　you　will；　please；〃　replied　Compton

As　Jimmy　left　the　office　Compton　rang　for　Bince；　and　when　the　latter　came；　told　him　of　his　plan　to　employ　a　firm　of　accountants　to　renovate　their　entire　system　of　bookkeeping。

〃Is　that　one　of　Torrance's　suggestions？〃　asked　Bince。

〃Yes；　the　idea　is　his；〃　replied　Compton；　〃and　I　think　it　is　a　good　one。〃

〃It　seems　to　me；〃　said　Bince；　〃that　Torrance　is　balling　things　up　sufficiently　as　it　is　without　getting　in　other　theorizers　who　have　no　practical　knowledge　of　our　business。　The　result　of　all　this　will　be　to　greatly　increase　our　overhead　by　saddling　us　with　a　lot　of　red…tape　in　the　accounting　department　similar　to　that　which　Torrance　is　loading　the　producing　end　with。〃

〃I　am　afraid　that　you　are　prejudiced；　Harold；〃　said　Compton。　　〃I　cannot　discover　that　Torrance　is　doing　anything　to　in　any　way　complicate　the　shop　work。　As　a　matter　of　fact　a　single　change　which　he　has　just　made　has　resulted　in　our　performing　certain　operations　in　less　time　and　to　better　advantage　with　five　less　men　than　formerly。　Just　in　this　one　thing　he　h