“‘In the Home Travellers’ Volumes you have the opportunity to gain that broader view of things which a knowledge of the world alone can give you.  Here you have all the pleasures and benefits of travel with the trouble left out.  Now I am sure you agree with me upon the great value of travel—­and agreeing on this point, you must agree with me on the value of this great work.’  Here offer the order form again and say, ’Just put your name and address down here, and in a few days you will be off on one of these delightful journeys, and every member of your family can enjoy it with you.’”

“There!” exclaimed Allen, proudly.  “Did you ever see a surer thing than that?”

“Are the books really valuable?” Mrs. Gorham asked.

“That really hasn’t a thing to do with the proposition,” replied Allen; “it’s the talk you buy, and the books are thrown in.”

“But you’re not going to take this up, are you, Allen?” Alice inquired, anxiously.

“Don’t you want me to?  You know they say Fortune is bald on the back of her head, and if you let her once slip past you there’s nothing left to grab hold of.”

“It isn’t what I want, Allen; but what could it lead to?”

“To the Consolidated Companies,” he whispered, furtively.  “I am bound and determined to show your father that I am good enough to be annexed, and to do that I’ve got to have some experience.  Can you think of anything which would be apt to give a fellow more experience?”

“May I make a suggestion?” Mrs. Gorham asked.  “I think it is a very good idea for Allen to undertake this, now that he has considered it seriously.  He wants to follow your advice, Alice, and do something.  Here is the first opportunity which offers, and I think he ought to embrace it.  I should be glad, however, if he would promise us to try his first experiment on Mr. Gorham.”

“Gee!” ejaculated Allen.

Alice divined Eleanor’s real thought instantly.  “Splendid!” she cried.  “That shall be the condition.  If father falls a victim, your later success is certain.”

“And what if he doesn’t?” Allen asked.

“Perhaps you’ll go out on three legs,” she suggested, mischievously.

X

Covington returned to New York several days before the Gorhams left Washington.  To the casual observer, who might meet him even daily, no change would have been apparent in the smoothly working accurate human machine which found its exercise through his personality.  His face never showed an emotion other than that which he wished to have seen there; the mouth, that most treacherous feature, was protected by his heavy mustache, which in turn merged its identity in the dark Vandyke beard, into which all expression retreated at the command of its owner; his gray eyes, cold in the metallic steelness of their shade, penetrated the object upon which they fixed themselves, reading the characteristics of others, but yielding nothing in return.  His forehead was high, accentuated by the thinness of his face, but suggestive of strong mental capacity; and the straightness of his nose evidenced the strength of will which had done much to give him his present reputation as a business man.