He calmed himself finally and looked straight at the matter, sitting up in bed, his knees drawn up under his chin.  While so engaged he caught sight of his drawn face in the mirror opposite and started when he realized how old and heavy with fatigue it was.  He determined suddenly to shave that profit to twenty-nine per cent. and make assurance doubly sure, but managed to conquer his momentary panic.  Cold reasoning told him that his figures were safe.

Louis Mitchell was the only salesman in Mr. Peebleby’s office that morning who did not wear a silk hat, pearl gloves, and spats.  In consequence the others ignored him for a time—­but only for a time.  Once the proposals had been read, an air of impenetrable gloom spread over the room.  The seven Scotch, English, and Belgian mourners stared cheerlessly at one another and then with growing curiosity at the young man from overseas who had underbid the lowest of them by six thousand pounds sterling, less than one per cent.  After a while they bowed among themselves, mumbled something to Mr. Peebleby, and went softly out in their high hats, their pearl gloves, and their spats—­more like pall-bearers now than ever.

“Six hundred and thirty-seven thousand five hundred pounds sterling!” said the Director General.  “By Jove, Mitchell, I’m glad!” They shook hands.  “I’m really glad.”

“That’s over three million dollars in real money,” said the youth.  “It’s quite a tidy little job.”

Peebleby laughed.  “You’ve been very decent about it, too.  I hope to see something of you in the future.  What?”

“You’ll see my smoke, that’s all.”

“You’re not going back right away?”

“To-morrow; I’ve booked my passage and cabled the girl to meet me in New York.”

“My word!  A girl!  She’ll be glad to hear of your success.”

“Oh, I’ve told her already.  You see, I knew I’d won.”

The Director General of the Robinson-Ray Syndicate stared in open amazement, but Mitchell hitched his chair closer, saying: 

“Now let’s get at those signatures.  I’ve got to pack.”

That night Louis Mitchell slept with fifteen separate contracts under his pillow.  He double-locked the door, pulled the dresser in front of it, and left the light burning.  At times he awoke with a start and felt for the documents.  Toward morning he was seized with a sudden fright, so he got up and read them all over for fear somebody had tampered with them.  They were correct, however, whereupon he read them a second time just for pleasure.  They were strangely interesting.

On the Deutschland he slept much of the way across, and by the time Liberty Statue loomed up he could dream of other things than blue-prints—­of the girl, for instance.