Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1917-06-07
CHAPTER v.
The Speci5iis+.

Though the matter Of calling in en-
expert doctor of finance to diagnose
the alarming symptoms in TimanyOni
ditch had been left indeterminate in the
talk between Colonel Baldwin and him
self, Williams did not let it go entirely
by default. On the day following the
Brewster office conference the engineer
sent for Smith, who was checking the
output Of the crushers at the quarry,
and a little later the 'betterment" man
presented himself at the door Of the
corrugated-irOn shack which served as
a field Office for the chief.
Williams looked the cost-cutter over
as he stood in the doorway. Smith was
thriving and expanding handsomely in
the new environment He had let his
beard grow and it was now long enough
to be trimmed to a point. The travel
broken clothes had been exchanged for
working khaki, with laCe-bOOtS and leg
gings, and the campaign hat Of the en-
gineers. Though he had been less than
month on the job, he was already be-
ginning to tan and tougher under the
! well, his late fellow members Of the
Lawrenceville COtiflon club might have
said, since he had fought three pitched
battles with as many of the camp bull
lies, and had in each Of them proved
himself man Of his hands who ca"'5
not only take punishment. but cas...
hammer an GnDCneEE S.E.. .zy -. -
ly into any desire. 5,..ta e -... -..ai..
"COme in here and SIT GAVIN. H-aa-
to talk to you was tte way Williams
began it; and after Smith had found
a chair the chief went on: Say, Smith,
you're too good a man for anything I've
got for you here. Haven't you realized
that?"
Smith pulled a memorandum book
from his hip pocket and ran his eye
over the private record he had been
keeping.
I've shown you how to effect a few
little savings which total up something
like Is per cent of your cost Of pr0duc-
ton and operation" he said. Don't
you think I'm earning my Wages?'
That's all right; I've been keeping
tab, too, and I know what you're do
ing. But you are not beginning to earn
what you ought to, either for yourself
or the company" put in the chief
shrewdly. And then: Loosen up,
Smith, and tell me something about
yourself. Who are you, and where do
you come from, and what sort Of a JOB
have you been holding DOWN."
Smiths reply was as surprising as It
was seemingly irrelevant.
''Tf you're not too busy, Mr. Williams,
I guess you'd better make out my time
/ check" he said quietly.
FT-j.a-9 took q reflective haIf-min-
SideratiOu, turning the sud
over deliberately in his
habit was.
by that you mean that
! before you will consent to
/ vp> your recOrd?" he assumed.
you've guessed it," said the man
/ who mad sealed the book of MS past.
Again Williams took q little time. Tt
was dtsc0uraging to have his own and
| the colonel's pref1gurings as to Smiths
probable state and standing so prompt
| ly verified.
81 suppose you know the plain infer
ence you're leaving, when you say q
| thing like that?"
Smith made the sign Of assent. cit
leaves you entirely at liberty to finish
out the story to suit yourself" ne ad-
mitted, adding: "The back numbers
my back numbers-are my own, Mr..
Williams. I've kept a file of them, as
everybody does, but I don't have to
produce it on request"