The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1906-06-17
CHAPTER VIII,

Ms the weeks and months went on
IA the results OF Gullford Dun.
I cans work completely justified
N the confident assertion he had
made to Captain Hallam that capa-
bio man can learn anything II he really
wants 20.
He rapidly famillarized himself with
the technicallties az well az with the
methods and broad principles OF busi.
ness. He sat up till midnight for many
nights In succession In order TO learn
from the head bookkeeper the rather
seant mysteries OF bookkeeping. By
observing the gaugers who measured
coal barges TO determine their contents
he quickly acquired skill In doing that.
II was 30 with everything. He was
determined TO master every art and
mystery that In anywise pertained 10
business, whether the skill In question
was or was not one that he was ever
likely to need or to practice.
His diligence. bis conscien tiousness
In work. his readiness OF resource, his
alert intelligence and his sturdy in
tegrlty daily commended him more
and more to the head Of the frm, and
not many months had passed before
every one In the Office tacitly recogniE-
cd the young virginian as the conf
Dental adviser and assistant of Cap
tain Hallam himself, though no formal
appointment Of that kind had been
made.
But no advance of SALARY came to the
young man as result, II was one Of
Captain Hallam's rules never to pay q
man more for his services than he
must and never to advance a mans
salary until the advance was asked for.
Captain Hallam was In no fiber Of
his being a miser, but he acted always
upon those cold blooded prudential
principles that had brought him
wealth 1t was not money that this
great captain OF commerce worshiped.
but success. Success was the one god
of his ldolatry. Outside of his bust.
ness he was liberal In the extreme.
Even In his business operations he
never hesltated at lavish expenditure
where such expenditure promised good
results. But he regarded all unneces
bary spending as waste, of the kind
that imperils success
In his cynical moments, indeed, he
sometimes said that III you have a
valuable man In your employ you must
keep him poor; otherwise you'll lose
him" But In so saying he perhaps did
himself an injustice. He was apt to
felgn heartless selishness that he
did not feel. r
Little by little Gullford Duncan had
learned all this as he had learned busi-
ness methods. He had at first modest
ly proposed to himself nothing more
In the way Of achievement than to
make himself valuable subordinate
q private or at most Il corporal or
sergeant-in the ranks of the great ar
my Of work. But before many months
had passed his modesty was compelled
to yield somewhat to an Increasingly
clear Understanding of conditions and
possibilities. Somewhat to- his own
surprise he began to suspect himself
of possessing capacities superior to
those OF the men about him and even
superior to those of many men who
had risen, to high place in commerce
and finance. =
As Captain Hallam came more and
more TO rely upon the sagacity and
character OF this his most trusted man,
he more aud more brought young Dun,
can Into those confidential conferences
with the leading men Of affairs which
were frequently necessary In the plan.
ming aud execution OF Important enter
prlses or In the meeting of difficulties
and obstacles. In that way p:-15..
was brought Into personal contact wltn