s, and Eugene wondered why he had been called. He
suspected, knowing as he did that Kalvin was the president of the
company, that the latter was there to look at him. After dinner
Mr. Kalvin left, and Eugene noted that Mr. Fredericks was then quite
ready to talk with him.

"The thing that I wanted you to come over and see me about is in regard
to our weekly and the advertising department. We have a great paper over
here, as you know," he said. "We are intending to do much more with it
in the future than we have in the past even. Mr. Kalvin is anxious to
get just the man to take charge of the advertising department. We have
been looking for someone for quite a little while. Several people have
suggested your name, and I'm rather inclined to think that Mr. Kalvin
would be pleased to see you take it. His visit here today was purely
accidental, but it was fortunate. He had a chance to look at you, so
that if I should propose your name he will know just who you are. I
think you would find this company a fine background for your efforts. We
have no penny-wise-and-pound-foolish policy over here. We know that any
successful thing is made by the men behind it, and we are willing to pay
good money for good men. I don't know what you are getting where you
are, and I don't care very much. If you are interested I should like to
talk to Mr. Kalvin about you, and if he is interested I should like to
bring you two together for a final conference. The salary will be made
right, you needn't worry about that. Mr. Kalvin isn't a small man. If he
likes a man--and I think he might like you--he'll offer you what he
thinks you're worth and you can take it or leave it. I never heard
anyone complain about the salary he offered."

Eugene listened with extreme self-gratulation. He was thrilling from
head to toe. This was the message he had been expecting to hear for so
long. He was getting five thousand now, he had been offered six
thousand. Mr. Kalvin could do no less than offer him seven or
eight--possibly ten. He could easily ask seven thousand five hundred.

"I must say," he said innocently, "the proposition sounds attractive to
me. It's a different kind of thing--somewhat--from what I have been
doing, but I think I could handle it successfully. Of course, the salary
will determine the whole thing. I'm not at all badly placed where I am.
I've just got comfortably settled in New York, and I'm not anxious to
move. But I would not be opposed to