Thisoutburstratherastonishedme，asyoucanthink。”Well，”saidI，”otherpeopledon’tthinkquitesomuchofmeasyouseemtodo，Mr。Pinner。Ihadahardenoughfighttogetthisberth，andIamverygladtohaveit。””Pooh，man；youshouldsoaraboveit。Youarenotinyourtruesphere。Now，I’lltellyouhowitstandswithme。WhatIhavetoofferislittleenoughwhenmeasuredbyyourability，butwhencomparedwithMawson’s，it’slighttodark。Letmesee。WhendoyougotoMawson’s?””OnMonday。””Ha，ha！IthinkIwouldriskalittlesportingflutterthatyoudon’tgothereatall。””NotgotoMawson’s?””No，sir。BythatdayyouwillbethebusinessmanageroftheFranco-MidlandHardwareCompany，Limited，withahundredandthirty-fourbranchesinthetownsandvillagesofFrance，notcountingoneinBrusselsandoneinSanRemo。”
Thistookmybreathaway。”Ineverheardofit，”saidI。”Verylikelynot。Ithasbeenkeptveryquiet，forthecapitalwasallprivatelysubscribed，andit’stoogoodathingtoletthepublicinto。Mybrother，HarryPinner，ispromoter，andjoinstheboardafterallotmentasmanagingdirector。HeknewIwasintheswimdownhere，andaskedmetopickupagoodmancheap。Ayoung，pushingmanwithplentyofsnapabouthim。Parkerspokeofyou，andthatbroughtmeheretonight。Wecanonlyofferyouabeggarlyfivehundredtostartwith。””Fivehundredayear！”Ishouted。”Onlythatatthebeginning；butyouaretohaveanoverridingcommissionofonepercentonallbusinessdonebyyouragents，andyoumaytakemywordforitthatthiswillcometomorethanyoursalary。””ButIknownothingabouthardware。””Tut，myboy；youknowaboutfigures。”
Myheadbuzzed，andIcouldhardlysitstillinmychair。Butsuddenlyalittlechillofdoubtcameuponme。”Imustbefrankwithyou，”saidI。”Mawsononlygivesmetwohundred，butMawsonissafe。Now，really，Iknowsolittleaboutyourcompanythat——””Ah，smart，smart！”hecried，inakindofecstasyofdelight。”Youaretheverymanforus。Youarenottobetalkedover，andquiteright，too。Now，here’sanoteforahundredpounds，andifyouthinkthatwecandobusinessyoumayjustslipitintoyourpocketasanadvanceuponyoursalary。””Thatisveryhandsome，”saidI。”WhenshouldItakeovermynewduties?””BeinBirminghamto-morrowatone，”saidhe。”Ihaveanoteinmypocketherewhichyouwilltaketomybrother。Youwillfindhimat126bCorporationStreet，wherethetemporaryofficesofthecompanyaresituated。Ofcoursehemustconfirmyourengagement，butbetweenourselvesitwillbeallright。””Really，Ihardlyknowhowtoexpressmygratitude，Mr。Pinner，”saidI。”Notatall，myboy。Youhaveonlygotyourdesserts。
Thereareoneortwosmallthings——mereformalities——whichImustarrangewithyou。Youhaveabitofpaperbesideyouthere。Kindlywriteuponit’IamperfectlywillingtoactasbusinessmanagertotheFranco-MidlandHardwareCompany，Limited，ataminimumsalaryofL500。”
Ididasheasked，andheputthepaperinhispocket。”Thereisoneotherdetail，”saidhe。”WhatdoyouintendtodoaboutMawson’s?”