ight. Every young man should be ambitious."

"I want to do something big," went on his _vis-a-vis_
confidently. "I have the ability. All I need is the chance to prove
it."

"H'm," said Stafford, with a slight tinge of scepticism in his voice.
"In what direction do you think your talents lie, Mr. Gillie?"

"Finance! Organization!" exclaimed the clerk enthusiastically. "I've
got ideas, too! For instance, Mr. Stafford, did you ever stop to think
of the money there would be in a Chewing Gum Trust?"

"No, I must confess I never did," laughed his host.

"Well--there's big money in it," said Jimmie confidently. "I've
figured it all out. I'd like to tell you about another scheme of mine,
which is going to revolutionize railroading in this country--cut down
train time one-half. I told the girls about it; they think it's
great!"

Stafford nodded.

"Yes--Miss Virginia mentioned it to me. You must tell me what it is
some day."

Inflating his chest, Jimmie sat back in his chair and puffed more
vigorously at his cigar. Decidedly he was getting on. Here he was
discussing business opportunities with one of the biggest men in New
York. Carelessly he added: "I've got lots of other good ideas, too,
but I suppose I'll never be able to work 'em out. What chance has a
shipping clerk got?"

Stafford looked at his interlocutor for a moment without speaking.
Then suddenly and emphatically, he said:

"Mr. Gillie, the business world is actually hunting to-day for men big
enough to hold big positions. I don't mean mere fifty-thousand-dollar
men. I mean hundred-thousand-dollar men. There is a better chance now
for the really big man than there ever was."

"But how is a fellow going to prove he is a big man?" inquired the
clerk, removing the cigar from his mouth.

"By doing whatever work in which he is engaged in a big way. The man
who says to himself 'I'm too good for this job,' but only says it,
will probably have it for the rest of his life. But the man who says
'I'll show my boss that I'm too good for it,' and does his work in a
way that proves it--the feet of such a man are on the road that leads
to the City of Big Things!"

Virginia, who had come near enough to overhear the last few words,
stood listening, fascinated.

"The City of Big Things!" she echoed.

Stafford laughed. Rising and turning to Virginia, He said courteously:

"But we didn't come here to talk business and such subjects as that."
Changing the topic, he as