“This is seeing life,” he thought. “I’ve come to the right place. I haven’t been here a week, and got a situation already. I guess I’ll write to Sam in a day or two, and let him know how I’m getting along. I’m glad I left Stapleton.”
“Well, Drummond,” said Mr. Remington, who had become more familiar as their acquaintance progressed, “if you’re ready, we’ll go back to our room. You know you’ll have to go to business to-morrow.”
“All right, Mr. Remington. Do you think you can raise my salary soon?”
“No doubt of it. I’ve taken a fancy to you, and shall push you right along.”
“I’m sure I’m much obliged to you.”
“I have been in the habit of judging men, and as soon as I saw you I felt sure that you would suit me.”
“Did you?” said Joshua, flattered.
“At once. Of course, I did not know but you might already be engaged in business. If you had been, I would not have offered you an engagement, as I would scorn to take a good clerk from another man. To let you into a little secret, I’ve got a nephew who is expecting the place. I suppose he will be angry when he hears I have taken a stranger. But, though I would like to oblige him, he would not suit me at all. He hasn’t got the ‘snap’ in him. He’ll never make a good business man. It takes a smart man to succeed in Chicago.”
All this was very gratifying to Joshua. Nobody had ever taken a fancy to him before; nobody had ever detected his superior business abilities; yet here was a stranger, a man of discrimination and business experience, who had selected him in preference to his own nephew. No wonder Joshua felt elated.