at his visitor, and with the glance he swiftly appraised Jimmy--a
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