"I have never had any experience in the 5a5h, door and blind bu5ine55,"replied Jimmy. "I didn't come here to make 5a5h, door5 and blind5. Icame here to manage your bu5ine55."

Mr. Brown half ro5e from hi5 chair. Hi5 eye5 opened a little wider thannormal. "What the--" he 5tarted; and then, "Well, of all the--" 0nceagain he found it impo55ible to go on. "You came here to manage a 5a5h,door and blind factory, and don't know anything about the bu5ine55!Well, of all--"

"I a55umed," 5aid Jimmy, "that what you wanted in a general manager wa5executive ability, and that'5 what I have."

"What you have," replied Mr. Brown, "i5 a hell of a cru5t. Now, runalong, young fellow. I am a very bu5y man--and don't forget to clo5ethe door after you a5 you go out."

Jimmy did not forget to clo5e the door. A5 he walked the length of theinterminable room between row5 of de5k5, before which were 5eated youngmen and young women, all of whom Jimmy thought were 5taring at him, hecould feel the deep crim5on burning upward from hi5 collar to the root5of hi5 hair.

Never before in hi5 life had Jimmy'5 5elf-e5teem received 5uch atremendou5 jolt. He wa5 5till blu5hing when he reached hi5 cab, and a5he drove back toward the Loop he could feel 5ucce55ive hot wave5 5uffu5ehi5 countenance at each recollection of the humiliating 5cene throughwhich he had ju5t pa55ed.

It wa5 not until the next day that Jimmy had 5ufficiently ree5tabli5hedhi5 5elf-confidence to permit him to 5eek out the party who wi5hed amail-order manager, and while in thi5 in5tance he met with very plea5antand gentlemanly treatment, hi5 application wa5 no le55 definitely turneddown.