, questioningly, courteously, but with no attempt to
propitiate; and not the slightest apparent conception of the awesomeness
of the occasion or the condescension of the august personage whom he was
thus permitted to meet.

And Uncle Ramsey liked it!

True, he tried to fix the young man much as a cook fixes a roast with a
skewer, to be put over the fire; but Courtland didn't skew. He just sat
down indifferently and looked the man over; smiled pleasantly now and
then, and listened; but he didn't give an inch. Even when the marvelous
proposition was made to him which might change the whole course of his
future life and cover his name with glory (?) Courtland never flickered
an eyelash.

"He took it as calmly as if I'd been offering him toast with his tea
when he already had bread and jam, the young whelp!" marveled Uncle
Ramsey, delightedly, after Courtland had thanked him, promised to think
it over, and gone back to his room. "He's got the personality, all
right! He'll do! But what's his idea in being so reluctant? Didn't the
offer strike him as big enough, or what's the matter? I must say I don't
like to wait. When I find a man I like to nail him. What's the idea,
Thomas? Has he got something else up his sleeve?"

"Not that I know of," said Tennelly, looking troubled. "I guess he's
just got to think it over. That's Court. He never steps into a position
until he knows exactly what he thinks about it."

"M-m-m! Another good trait! You're sure it isn't anything else?"

"I don't know of anything unless some of his religious notions are
standing in his way. I'm sure I can't quite make him out lately. He had
a shock a few months ago--one of the fellows killed in a fire--and he
can't seem to get over it quite."

"Oh, well, we'll fix him up all right!" said Uncle Ramsey, contentedly.
"We'll just send him down to our model factory here in the city and let
him see how things are run. Convince him he's doing good, and that'll
settle him! All white marble, with vines over the place, and a big
rest-room and reading-room for the hands, gymnasium on the roof, model
restaurant, all up to date. Cost a lot of money, too, but it pays! When
some whining idiot of a woman, that hasn't enough business of her own to
attend to, goes blabbing down there at Washington about the 'conditions'
in the factories, and all that rot, we just run a few senators up here
for the day and show 'em that model factory. Oh, it pays in the long
run. You t