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foresaw this； was grieved； and was hoping some young man would eventually appear who would be interested in the business； handle it in the same spirit in which it had been handled； and who would not crowd his son out。
Then came young Cowperwood； spoken of to him by Seneca Davis。 He looked him over critically。 Yes； this boy might do； he thought。 There was something easy and sufficient about him。 He did not appear to be in the least flustered or disturbed。 He knew how to keep books； he said； though he knew nothing of the details of the grain and commission business。 It was interesting to him。 He would like to try it。
〃I like that fellow；〃 Henry Waterman confided to his brother the moment Frank had gone with instructions to report the following morning。 〃There's something to him。 He's the cleanest； briskest； most alive thing that's walked in here in many a day。〃
〃Yes；〃 said George； a much leaner and slightly taller man； with dark； blurry； reflective eyes and a thin； largely vanished growth of brownish…black hair which contrasted strangely with the egg…shaped whiteness of his bald head。 〃Yes； he's a nice young man。 It's a wonder his father don't take him in his bank。〃
〃Well； he may not be able to；〃 said his brother。 〃He's only the cashier there。〃
〃That's right。〃
〃Well； we'll give him a trial。 I bet anything he makes good。 He's a likely…looking youth。〃
Henry got up and walked out into the main entrance looking into Second Street。 The cool cobble pavements； shaded from the eastern sun by the wall of buildings on the eastof which his was a part the noisy trucks and drays； the busy crowds hurrying to and fro； pleased him。 He looked at the buildings over the wayall three and four stories； and largely of gray stone and crowded with life and thanked his stars that he had originally located in so prosperous a neighborhood。 If he had only brought more property at the time he bought this！
〃I wish that Cowperwood boy would turn out to be the kind of man I want；〃 he observed to himself； meditatively。 〃He could save me a lot of running these days。〃
Curiously； after only three or four minutes of conversation with the boy； he sensed this marked quality of efficiency。 Something told him he would do well。
Chapter IV
The appearance of Frank Cowperwood at this time was； to say the least； prepossessing and satisfactory。 Nature had destined him to be about five feet ten inches tall。 His head was large； shapely； notably commercial in aspect； thickly covered with crisp； dark…brown hair and fixed on a pair of square shoulders and a stocky body。 Already his eyes had the look that subtle years of thought bring。 They were inscrutable。 You could tell nothing by his eyes。 He walked with a light； confident； springy step。 Life had given him no severe shocks nor rude awakenings。 He had not been compelled to suffer illness or pain or deprivation of any kind。 He saw people richer than himself； but he hoped to be rich。 His family was respected； his father well placed。 He owed no man anything。 Once he had let a small note of his become overdue at the bank； but his father raised such a row that he never forgot it。 〃I would rather crawl on my hands and knees than let my paper go to protest；〃 the old gentleman observed； and this fixed in his mind what scarcely needed to be so sharply emphasizedthe significance of credit。 No paper of his ever went to protest or became overdue after that through any negligence of his。
He turned out to be the most efficient clerk that the house of Waterman & Co。 had ever known。 They put him on the books at first as assistant bookkeeper； vice Mr。 Thomas Trixler； dismissed； and in two weeks George said： 〃Why don't we make Cowperwood head bookkeeper？ He knows more in a minute than that fellow Sampson will ever know。〃
〃All right； make the transfer； George； but don't fuss so。 〃He won't be a bookkeeper long； though。 I want to see if he can't handle some of these transfers for me after a bit。〃
The books of Messrs。 Waterman & Co。； though fairly complicated； were child's play to Frank。 He went through them with an ease and rapidity which surprised his erstwhile superior； Mr。 Sampson。
〃Why； that fellow；〃 Sampson told another clerk on the first day he had seen Cowperwood work； 〃he's too brisk。 He's going to make a bad break。 I know that kind。 Wait a little bit until we get one of those rush credit and transfer days。〃 But the bad break Mr。 Sampson anticipated did not materialize。 In less than a week Cowperwood knew the financial condition of the Messrs。 Waterman as well as they didbetterto a dollar。 He knew how their accounts were distributed； from what section they drew the most business； who sent poor produce and goodthe varying prices for a year told that。 To satisfy himself he ran back over certain accounts in the ledger； verifying his suspicions。 Bookkeeping did not interest him except as a record； a demonstration of a firm's life。 He knew he would not do this long。 Something else would happen； but he saw instantly what the grain and commission business wasevery detail of it。 He saw where； for want of greater activity in offering the goods consignedquicker communication with shippers and buyers； a better working agreement with surrounding commission menthis house； or； rather； its customers； for it had nothing； endured severe losses。 A man would ship a tow…boat or a car…load of fruit or vegetables against a supposedly rising or stable market； but if ten other men did the same thing at the same time； or other commission men were flooded with fruit or vegetables； and there was no way of disposing of them within a reasonable time； the price had to fall。 Every day was bringing its special consignments。 It instantly occurred to him that he would be of much more use to the house as an outside man disposing of heavy shipments； but he hesitated to say anything so soon。 More than likely； things would adjust themselves shortly。
The Watermans； Henry and George； were greatly pleased with the way he handled their accounts。 There was a sense of security in his very presence。 He soon began to call Brother George's attention to the condition of certain accounts； making suggestions as to their possible liquidation or discontinuance； which pleased that individual greatly。 He saw a way of lightening his own labors through the intelligence of this youth； while at the same time developing a sense of pleasant companionship with him。
Brother Henry was for trying him on the outside。 It was not always possible to fill the orders with the stock on hand； and somebody had to go into the street or the Exchange to buy and usually he did this。 One morning； when way…bills indicated a probable glut of flour and a shortage of grainFrank saw it firstthe elder Waterman called him into his office and said：
〃Frank； I wish you would see what you can do with this condition that confronts us on the street。 By to…morrow we're going to be overcrowded with flour。 We can't be paying storage charges； and our orders won't eat it up。 We're short on grain。 Maybe you could trade out the flour to some of those brokers and get me enough grain to fill these orders。〃
〃I'd like to try；〃 said his employee。
He knew from his books where the various commission…houses were。 He knew what the local merchants' exchange； and the various commission…merchants who dealt in these things； had to offer。 This was the thing he liked to doadjust a trade difficulty of this nature。 It was pleasant to be out in the air again； to be going from door to door。 He objected to desk work and pen work and poring over books。 As he said in later years； his brain was his office。 He hurried to the principal commission…merchants； learning what the state of the flour market was； and offering his surplus at the very rate he would have expected to get for it if there had been no prospective glut。 Did they want to buy for immediate delivery （forty…eight hours being immediate） six hundred barrels of prime flour？ He would offer it at nine dollars straight； in the barrel。 They did not。 He offered it in fractions； and some agreed to take one portion； and some another。 In about an hour he was all secure on this save one lot of two hundred barrels； which he decided to offer in one lump to a famous operator named Genderman with whom his firm did no business。 The latter； a big man with curly gray hair； a gnarled and yet pudgy face； and little eyes that peeked out shrewdly through fat eyelids； looked at Cowperwood curiously when he came in。
〃What's your name； young man？〃 he asked； leaning back in his wooden chair。
〃Cowperwood。〃
〃So you work for Waterman & Company？ You want to make a record； no doubt。 That's why you came to me？〃
Cowperwood merely smiled。
〃Well； I'll take your flour。 I need it。 Bill it to me。〃
Cowperwood hurried out。 He went direct to a firm of brokers in Walnut Street； with whom his firm dealt； and had them bid in the grain he needed at prevailing rates。 Then he returned to the office。
〃Well；〃 said Henry Waterman； when he reported； 〃you did that quick。 Sold old Genderman two hundred barrels direct； did you？ That's doing pretty well。 He isn't on our books； is he？〃
〃No； sir。