The Efficiency Expert

Table of

less, and as he had no carfare it was necessary for him to walk the seemingly interminable miles from one prospective job to another. By the middle of the afternoon Jim

t," he concluded as the odors of cooking food came to him from a cheap restaurant which he was passing. He stopped a moment and looked into the w

s hunger had not made him as desperate as he thought he was, and so he passed slowly on, and, glancing into t

down at his own, which, though wrinkled, we

upon the inspiration, he entered the dingy little shop. When he emerged twenty minutes later he wore

been unable to bring himself to the point of writing his father an admission of his failure, and in fact he had gone so far, and in his estimation had s

beneath the dim light of a flickering gas-jet he realized that the other stopped suddenly and turne

what you d

d toward th

her dawned slowly upon him. "It's you, is i

. "But what you doin' here? Looking

y gr

in," he said,

him, his keen eyes apprais

e here?"

lied Jimmy

in' here for the

mmy; "I have been here

sked the Lizard. "Didn't you li

y fl

t," he ad

r room?" ask

t," said Jimmy. "

ded the stairs and entered Jimmy's room. Under the

t it, bo, haven'

have," s

a difference clothes make!

," said

oin'?" aske

thi

your

a month since I've been here, and that for

make some coin?"

"I don't know of anythi

row night. I can use you," and he

ox?" asked Ji

where I put you and make a noise like a cat if you see anybody coming. It ought to be something goo

sual percentag

fferin' you," re

remaining in his pocket. Fifteen thousand dollars! And here he had been walking

ong somewhere," mutte

guys interview him and his name is in all the lists of subscriptions to charity-when they're going to be published in the papers. I'll bet he takes nine-tenths of his kale from women and child

ugh almost to his sock. The Lizard watched him as a cat watches a mouse. He knew that the other was thinking hard, and that presently he would reach a decision, and through Jimmy's mind marched a

looked up a

, however humiliating such a confession should be. The way I feel now I would almost as lief go out and rob widows and orphans myself, but each of

to death too soon. You know, I had a hunch you would turn me down, and I'm glad you did. If you were going crooked some time I thought I'd like to have yo

ow that after you pull this job I won't

grinned h

e to death before you'd do it. And now, what you want is a j

, "that I could do and still

a job of some sort. I may be back to-night, and I may not be

rom his pocket and commen

Jimmy. "Once agai

Lizard. "I'm just payin' bac

said Jimmy; "I gave it to you a

and shoved the mone

long! I may bring you home a job to-night, but if I do

immy sat looking at the twe

ut whatever he is he's white. Just imagine, the o