"And you therefore dropped it, eh?"
"No, sir. It is stronger than ever."
"That's the way to talk. Do not allow yourself to be swerved from a worthy purpose."
"I never do. It results in my being called hard-headed sometimes."
"We like to encourage our young men to make suggestions. Unfortunately we do not get many of value from the rank and file. Those men either have not had experience enough to suggest valuable improvements, or else they are of too low an order of intelligence to do so. What was your idea?"
"It was in connection with the waste gas from the stoves."
"Indeed." Mr. Keating was interested at once.
"Yes, sir; there is a great deal of waste gas, is there not?"
"Much more than I wish there was."
"You buy your gas from the city plant, do you not, if it is not an impertinent question?"