The Lamar register., 1919-01-15
CHAPTER v.
The Specialist.

Though the matter Of calling in an
expert doctor OF finance TO diagnose
the alarming symptoms in Timnnyoni
ditch had been left indeterminate in the
talk between Colonel Baldwin AMI him
self. Williams did not let 1t 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
corrugated-ir0n shack which served as
field Office for the chief.
Williams looked the cost-cutter over
as he stood In the doorway. Smith was
thriving and expanding handsomely in
N:he new environment. He had let his
beard grow and II 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
q month on the Job. he was already be-
ginning to tan and tougher under the
healthy outdoor work-to roughen, as
well. his late fellow members of the
Lawrenceville Cotillon 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 a man Of his hands who could
not only take punishment. but could
hammer an opponent swiftly and neat
ly into any desired state Of subsection.
"Come In here and sit down; want
to talk to you" was the way Williams
began It; and after Smith had found
q 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
thatf
Smith pulled a memorandum book
from his hip pocket and ran his eye
over the private record he had been
keeping.
'Tve shown you how to effect a few
little savings which total up something
like 10 per cent of your cost of produe-
tion and operation" he said. Don't
you think I'm earning my wagesf'
That's all right; I've been keeping
tab, too, and / know what you're do
Ing. But you are not beginning TO earn
what you ought to, either for yourself
Dor the company" put in the chief
.phrewdly. And then: Loosen up.
Smith. and tell me something about
yourself. Who are you. and where do
gou come from, and what sort of Job
have you been holding DOWN."
Smiths reply was as surprising as it
vas seemingly irrelevant.
"If you're not too busy, Mr.. Williams.
guess you'd better make out my time
sheck," he said quietly.
Williams took reflective half-min-
ate for consideration. turning the sud
den request over deliberately In his
, mind. as his habit was.
II suppose by that you mean that
you'll quilt before you will consent to
open up on your recordf' he assumed.
you've guessed It," said the man
who had sealed the book Of his past.
Again Williams took little time. II
was dlscouraging to have his own and
the colonel's prefigurings as to Smiths
probable state and standing so prompt
y verified.
ence you're leaving, when you say
thing like thatf.
Smith made the sign OF assent. 'lt
leaves you entirely at liberty to finish
out the story to suit yourself" he ad-
mitted, adding: "The back numbers
my back numbers-are my own, Mr.
williams. I've kept a file of them, as
sverybody does, but I don't have to