Festing smiled, rather bitterly.  “I have no marked talent, and haven’t found it pay to trust to luck.  In fact, my only recommendations are a kind of practical ability and a capacity for hard work.  I got on the road by doing chores and fought my way up.”

“You are practical,” Kerr agreed.  “It’s your strong point, but I’ve thought it sometimes kept you back.”

He paused when Festing looked at him with surprise, but resumed in a thoughtful voice:  “When your job’s in front of you, you see what must be done, and do it well; there’s not a man on my section does that kind of thing better.  Still, I’m not sure you always see quite far enough.  You miss what lies ahead and sometimes, so to speak, what’s lying all round.  Concentration’s good, but one can concentrate too much.  However, I didn’t come to find fault, but to let you know how matters are.”

“Thanks.  I’m going to look ahead and all round now, and the situation strikes me as much like this:  If I’m content with a second or third best post, I can stop; if I want to go as far as my power of concentration may take me and find a place where I can use my independent judgment, I’d better quit.  Have I got that right?”

“It’s what I tried to hint.  You can count on my recommendation when it’s likely to be of use, but you said something that was rather illuminating.  You want to use your judgment?”

Festing laughed.  “I don’t know that I’ve thought much about these matters, but I am an individualist.  You get up against useless rules, empty formalities, and much general stupidity in organized effort, and good work is often wasted.  When you see things that demand to be done, you want to begin right there and get at the job.  If you wait to see if it’s yours or somebody else’s, you’re apt not to start at all.”

“Your plan has drawbacks now and then,” Kerr remarked.  “But what are you going to do about the other matter?”

Festing was silent for a few moments.  He had to make a momentous choice, but had known that he must do so and did not hesitate.

“I’m going to quit and try farming.  After all, I don’t know very much about railroad building; up to now I’ve got on rather by determination than knowledge.  Then, if I stop with you, I’ll come up against a locked door whenever I try to push ahead.”

“There are locked doors in other professions.”

“That’s so; but in a big organization you must knock and ask somebody to let you through, and unless you have a properly stamped ticket, they turn you back.  When the job’s your own you beat down the door.”

“I’ve seen farmers who tried that plan left outside with badly jarred hands.  Frost and rust and driving sand are difficult obstacles.”

“Oh, yes,” said Festing.  “But they’re natural obstacles; you know what you’re up against and can overcome them, if you’re stubborn enough.  What I really mean is, you don’t trust to somebody else’s good opinion; whether you fail or not depends upon yourself.”