"Yes. I want to be put in charge of the sales department. You see, I not only know the business from beginning to end, but I want to show our salesmen that selling goods means something more than rattling off a list of what you've got, dilating like a parrot. I want to teach them the value of knowledge of the personal equation and how to apply that knowledge effectively. Does n't that telegram from Jackson show that I know something about it?" "What do you think of Skinner's proposition?" McLaughlin said to the junior partner. Perkins turned and came back to the table. "Skinner seems to have the goods." "Mr. McLaughlin," Skinner urged, "it is n't that I feel big about what I've done, it is n't that I think I know more than anybody else, but I've had ideas about things I've always wanted to put into practice. When you sent me out to St. Paul, I formulated a little scheme of attack on Jackson, and you saw how it worked. I think that entitles my opinion to some respect. I've got the good of this concern at heart and I want to show what can be done along original lines." McLaughlin looked at Perkins and Perkins nodded affirmatively. "Skinner, I 'm going to let you see what you can do," said the senior partner; then paused. He turned to Perkins. "The devil of it is, what to do with Hobson." "Let him take charge of the San Francisco office," Perkins suggested. "I don't like to hurt the old chap's feelings." "Hurt his feelings? Why, he's always wanted to go back to the Coast--where he belongs." All that day, while Skinner was instructing the young man who was to succeed him as "cage man," he was very happy. He was happy that the field of his activities was broadening, that he'd have a chance to show what was in him. But he was particularly happy that now he would never have to tell Honey that he'd deceived her. This, however, would involve a negative deception, worse luck, he mused, for he would not be able to tell her about the twenty-five dollars advance he'd just got. He would go right along as he had been doing, each week giving Honey ten dollars to deposit in the Meadeville National. Then he, himself, would deposit ten dollars a week until he'd made up for the number of weeks that had elapsed since he'd promoted himself. Thus their little bank account would remain intact, and Honey would not know unless--his heart slowed down--McLaughlin should take to bragging about him and how they'd shown their appreciation of what he'd done in St. Paul, and Mrs. McLaughlin should get hold of it and pass it along to Honey--which would have the effect of perpetuating his original, devilish raise. But he was n't going to cross that bridge yet! And so it came about that eight months later, one beautiful morning in December, McLaughlin said to the junior partner, "That which I feared has come upon us!" "What's the matter? Has Skinner asked for another raise?" "Worse'n that. The Starr-Bacon people have made him an offer!"