“I didn’t say,” the preacher admitted, “but I would like him to see something of the Southwest.  I want to see what will happen when he bumps up against the sort of civilization that followed the Spanish to America.”

“Well, of course, you know that wholesale hardware houses don’t run salesmen’s excursions to help Methodist preachers try out the effect of American history on their young parishioners, no matter how lofty the motive,” and Albert Drury poked his brother in the ribs.  “But supposing this boy is otherwise good stuff he’ll be in the right place, if he goes with the Cummings people.  A big share of their business is in that end of the world.”

If J.W. had been told of this conversation, which he wasn’t, he might not have been quite so mystified over the letter from the great Peter McDougall, which came a few weeks after the preacher’s return from Saint Louis.  McDougall he knew well by reputation, having heard about him from every Cummings man who unpacked samples in Delafield.  And to be invited to Saint Louis by the great man, with the possibility of “an opening, ultimately, in our sales force,” was a surprise as interesting as it was unexpected.  Naturally, J.W. could not know how much careful investigation had preceded the writing of that letter.  The Cummings Corporation did not act on impulse.  But he would have accepted the invitation in any case.

And that is enough for the present purpose of the story of J.W.’s first business venture away from Delafield.  Not without some hesitation did he close with the Cummings offer; but after he had talked it all over with the folks at home, and then all over again out at Deep Creek with Jeannette Shenk, who was both sorry and proud, it was settled.  Reaching Saint Louis, the canny McDougall looked him over and thought him worth trying out; so over he went to the stock department.  Then followed busy weeks in the buildings of the Cummings Hardware Corporation down by the river, learning the stock.  He discovered before the end of the first day that he had never yet guessed what “hardware” meant; he wandered through the mazes of the vast warehouses until his legs ached much and his eyes ached more.

At last came the day when he found himself on the road, not alone, of course, but in tow of Fred Finch, an old Cummings salesman who had occasionally “made” Delafield.  The Cummings people did not throw their new men overboard and let them swim if they could.  They had a careful training system, of which the stockroom days were one part, and this personally conducted introduction to the road was another.

Albert Drury had been sufficiently interested in his brother’s wish to drop a hint to McDougall, to which that hard-headed executive would have paid no attention if it had not fitted in just then with the requirements of his sales policy.  But the hint sent J.W. out with Finch over the longest route which the house worked for trade.  On the map this route was a great kite-shaped thing, with its point at Saint Louis, and the whole Southwest this side of the Colorado River included in the sweep of its sides and top.