the efficiency expert- 第19部分

〃You　　damn　　scoundrel！〃　　exclaimed　Bince。

〃Don't　go　callin'　me　names；〃　admonished　Krovac。　　〃A　fellow　that　hires　another　to　croak　a　man　for　him　for　one　hundred　bucks　ain't　got　no　license　to　call　nobody　names。〃

Bince　realized　only　too　well　that　he　was　absolutely　in　the　power　of　the　fellow　and　immediately　his　manner　changed。

〃Come；〃　he　said；　〃Krovac；　there　is　no　use　in　our　quarreling。　　You　can　help　me　and　I　can　help　you。　There　must　be　some　other　way　to　get　around　this。〃

〃What　are　you　trying　to　do？〃　asked　Krovac。　　〃I　got　enough　on　you　now　to　send　you　up；　and　I　don't　mind　tellin'　yuh；〃　he　added；　〃that　I　had　a　guy　hid　down　there　in　the　shop　where　he　could　watch　you　drop　the　envelope　behind　my　machine。　I　got　a　witness；　yuh　understand！〃

Mr。　Bince　did　understand；　but　still　he　managed　to　control　his　temper。

〃What　of　it？〃　he　said。　〃Nobody　would　believe　your　story；　but　let's　forget　that。　What　we　want　to　do　is　get　rid　of　Torrance。〃

〃That　isn't　all　you　want　to　do；〃　said　Krovac。　〃There　is　something　else。〃

Bince　realized　that　he　was　compromised　as　hopelessly　already　as　he　could　be　if　the　man　had　even　more　information。

〃Yes；〃　he　said；　〃there　is　something　beside　Torrance's　interference　in　the　shop。　He's　interfering　with　our　accounting　system　and　I　don't　want　it　interfered　with　just　now。〃

〃You　mean　the　pay…roll？〃　asked　Krovac。

〃It　might　be；〃　said　Bince。

〃You　want　them　two　new　guys　that　are　working　in　the　office　croaked；　too？〃　asked　Krovac。

〃I　don't　want　anybody　'croaked'；　〃replied　Bince。　〃I　didn't　tell　you　to　kill　Torrance　in　the　first　place。　I　just　said　I　didn't　want　him　to　come　back　here　to　work。〃

〃Ah；　hell；　what　you　givin'　us？〃　growled　the　other。　〃I　knew　what　you　meant　and　you　knew　what　you　meant；　too。　Come　across　straight。　What　do　you　want？〃

〃I　want　all　the　records　of　the　certified　public　accountants　who　are　working　here；〃　said　Bince　after　a　moment's　pause。　〃I　want　them　destroyed；　together　with　the　pay…roll　records。〃

〃Where　are　they？〃

〃They　will　all　be　in　the　safe　in　Mr。　Compton's　office。〃

Krovac　knitted　his　brows　in　thought　for　several　moments。　〃Say；〃　he　said；　〃we　can　do　the　whole　thing　with　one　job。〃

〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Bince；

〃We　can　get　rid　of　this　Torrance　guy　and　get　the　records；　too。〃

〃How？〃　asked　Bince。　〃Do　you　know　where　Feinheimer's　is？〃

〃Yes。〃

〃Well；　you　be　over　there　to…night　about　ten　thirty　and　I'll　introduce　you　to　a　guy　who　can　pull　off　this　whole　thing；　and　you　and　I　won't　have　to　be　mixed　up　in　it　at　all。〃

〃To…night　at　ten　thirty；〃　said　Bince。

〃At　Feinheimer's；〃　said　Krovac。




CHAPTER　XX。

AN　INVITATION　TO　DINE。

As　the　workman　passed　through　the　little　outer　office　Edith　Hudson　glanced　up　at　him。

〃Where；〃　she　thought　after　he　had　gone；　〃have　I　seen　that　fellow　before？〃

Jimmy　was　in　the　shop　applying　〃How　to　Get　More　Out　of　Your　Factory〃　to　the　problems　of　the　International　Machine　Company　when　he　was　called　to　the　telephone。

〃Is　this　Mr。　Torrance？〃　asked　a　feminine　voice。

〃It　is；〃　replied　Jimmy。

〃I　am　Miss　Compton。　　My　father　will　probably　not　be　able　to　get　to　the　office　for　several　days；　and　as　he　wishes　very　much　to　talk　with　you　he　has　asked　me　to　suggest　that　you　take　dinner　with　us　this　evening。〃　〃Thank　you；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃Tell　Mr。　Compton　that　I　will　come　to　the　house　right　after　the　shop　closes　to…night。〃

〃I　suppose；〃　said　Elizabeth　Compton　as　she　turned　away　from　the　phone；　〃that　an　efficiency　expert　is　a　very　superior　party　and　that　his　conversation　will　be　far　above　my　head。〃

Compton　laughed。　　〃Torrance　seems　to　be　a　very　likable　chap；〃　he　said；　〃and　as　far　as　his　work　is　concerned　he　is　doing　splendidly。〃

〃Harold　doesn't　think　so；〃　said　Elizabeth。　　〃He　is　terribly　put　out　about　the　fellow。　He　told　me　only　the　other　night　that　he　really　believed　that　it　would　take　years　to　overcome　the　bad　effect　that　this　man　has　had　upon　the　organization　and　upon　the　work　in　general。〃

〃That　is　all　poppycock；〃　exclaimed　Compton；　rather　more　irritably　than　was　usual　with　him。　〃For　some　reason　Harold　has　taken　an　unwarranted　dislike　to　this　man；　but　I　am　watching　him　closely；　and　I　will　see　that　no　very　serious　mistakes　are　made。〃

When　Jimmy　arrived　at　the　Compton　home　he　was　ushered　into　the　library　where　Mr。　Compton　was　sitting。　In　a　corner　of　the　room；　with　her　back　toward　the　door；　Elizabeth　Compton　sat　reading。　She　did　not　lay　aside　her　book　or　look　in　his　direction　as　Jimmy　entered；　for　the　man　was　in　no　sense　a　guest　in　the　light　of　her　understanding　of　the　term。　He　was　merely　one　of　her　father's　employees　here　on　business　to　see　him；　doubtless　a　very　ordinary　sort　of　person　whom　she　would；　of　course；　have　to　meet　when　dinner　was　announced；　but　not　one　for　whom　it　was　necessary　to　put　oneself　out　in　any　way。

Mr。　Compton　rose　and　greeted　Jimmy　cordially　and　then　turned　toward　his　daughter。

〃Elizabeth；〃　he　said；　〃this　is　Mr。　Torrance；　the　efficiency　expert　at　the　plant。〃

Leisurely　Miss　Compton　laid　aside　her　book。　　Rising；　she　faced　the　newcomer；　and　as　their　eyes　met；　Jimmy　barely　stifled　a　gasp　of　astonishment　and　dismay。　Elizabeth　Compton's　arched　brows　raised　slightly　and　involuntarily　she　breathed　a　low　ejaculation；　〃Efficiency　expert！〃

Simultaneously　there　flashed　through　the　minds　of　both　in　rapid　succession　a　series　of　recollections　of　their　previous　meetings。　The　girl　saw　the　clerk　at　the　stocking…counter；　the　waiter　at　Feinheimer's；　the　prize…fighter　at　the　training　quarters　and　the　milk…wagon　driver。　All　these　things　passed　through　her　mind　in　the　brief　instant　of　the　introduction　and　her　acknowledgment　of　it。　She　was　too　well…bred　to　permit　any　outward　indication　of　her　recognition　of　the　man　other　than　the　first　almost　inaudible　ejaculation　that　had　been　surprised　from　her。

　The　indifference　she　had　felt　prior　to　meeting　the　efficiency　expert　　was　altered　now　to　a　feeling　of　keen　interest　as　she　realized　that　she　　held　the　power　to　relieve　Bince　of　the　further　embarrassment　of　the　　man's　activities　in　the　plant；　and　also　to　save　her　father　from　the　　annoyance　and　losses　that　Bince　had　assured　her　would　result　from　　Torrance's　methods。　And　so　she　greeted　Jimmy　Torrance　pleasantly；　　almost　cordially。

〃I　am　delighted；〃　she　said；　〃but　I　am　afraid　that　I　am　a　little　awed；　too；　as　I　was　just　saying　to　father　before　you　came　that　I　felt　an　efficiency　expert　must　be　a　very　superior　sort　of　person。〃

If　she　placed　special　emphasis　on　the　word　〃superior〃　it　was　so　cleverly　done　that　it　escaped　the　notice　of　her　father。

〃Oh；　not　at　all；〃　replied　Jimmy。　〃We　efficiency　experts　are　really　quite　ordinary　people。　One　is　apt　to　meet　us　in　any　place　that　nice　people　are　supposed　to　go。〃

Elizabeth　felt　the　color　rising　slowly　to　her　cheek。　　She　realized　then　that　if　she　had　thrown　down　the　gage　of　battle　the　young　man　had　lost　no　time　in　taking　it　up。

〃I　am　afraid；〃　she　said；　〃that　I　do　not　understand　very　much　about　the　nature　or　the　purpose　of　your　work；　but　I　presume　the　idea　is　to　make　the　concern　with　which　you　are　connected　more　prosperousmore　successful？〃

〃Yes；〃　said　her　father；　〃that　is　the　idea；　and　even　in　the　short　time　he　has　been　with　us　Mr。　Torrance　has　effected　some　very　excellent　changes。〃

〃It　must　be　very　interesting　work；〃　commented　the　girl；　〃a　profession　that　requires　years　of　particular　experience　and　study；　and　I　suppose　one　must　be　really　thoroughly　efficient　and　successful　himself；　too；　before　he　can　help　to　improve　upon　the　methods　of　others　or　to　bring　them　greater　prosperity。〃

〃Quite　true；〃　said　Jimmy。　〃Whatever　a　man　undertakes　he　should　succeed　in　before　he　can　hope　to　bring　success　to　others。〃

〃Even　in　trifling　occupations；　I　presume；〃　suggested　the　girl；　〃efficiency　methods　are　bestan　efficiency　expert　could　doubtlessly　drive　a　milk…wagon　better　than　an　ordinary　person？〃　And　she　looked　straight　into　Jimmy's　eyes；　an　unquestioned　challenge　in　her　own。

〃Unquestionably；〃　said　Jimmy。　　〃He　could　wait　on　table　better；　too。〃

〃Or　sell　stockings？〃　suggested　Elizabeth。

It　was　at　this　moment　that　Mr。　Compton　was　called　to　the　telephone　in　an　adjoining　room；　and　when　he　had　gone　the　girl　turned　suddenly　upon　Jimmy　Torrance。　There　was　no　cordiality　nor　friendship　in　her　expression；　a　sneer　upcurved　her　short　upper　lip。

〃I　do　not　wish　to　humiliate　you　unnecessarily　in　the　presence　of　my　father；〃　she　said。　〃You　have　managed　to　deceive　him　into　believing　that　you　are　what　you　claim　to　be。　Mr。　Bince　has　known　from　the　start　that　you　are　incompetent　and　incapable　of　accomplishing　the　results　father　thinks　you　are　accomplishing。　Now　that　you　know　that　I　know　you　to　be　an　impostor；　what　do　you　intend　to　do？〃

〃I　intend　to　keep　right　on　with　my　work　in　the　plant；　Miss　Compton；〃　replied　Jimmy。

〃How　long　do　you　suppose　father　would　keep　you　after　I　told　him　what　I　know　of　you？　Do　you　think　that　he　would　for　a　moment　place　the　future　of　his　business　in　the　hands　of　an　ex…waiter　from　Feinheimer's…that　he　would　let　a　milk…wagon　driver　tell　him　how　to　run　his　business？〃

〃It　probably　might　make　a　difference；〃　said　Jimmy；　〃if　he　knew；　but　he　will　not　knowlisten；　Miss　Compton；　I　have　discovered　some　things　there　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　r