“You and father are so good to me.”  Alice held out her hand impulsively, after grasping which Covington spread out the papers on the table preparatory to the first lesson.  The girl watched him, all eagerness, then suddenly she laughed aloud and clapped her hands.

“Won’t Allen be surprised when he hears that I’ve gotten my position before he has his?”

“Allen?” queried Covington, looking up from his papers.

“Yes, Allen Sanford.  Do you know him, Mr. Covington?  He’s a friend of mine and I’m very much interested in him.”  Then she paused and her face sobered.  “Perhaps I ought to let him have this chance,” she mused.  “He offered to share his chances with me.”

“Do you mean Stephen Sanford’s son?”

“Yes.  Do you know him?”

Covington smiled, and for some unexplainable reason the girl did not like his smile.

“We could hardly accept the substitution, Miss Alice.  I understand that the boy is erratic and irresponsible.  His father has just disinherited him.”

“You don’t mean it!” Alice cried, really concerned over this first news of the result of Allen’s interview with his father.  “That must have been yesterday.  I wonder why daddy didn’t tell me.”

“Your father’s mind is pretty full with his own affairs, Miss Alice, without taking up Mr. Sanford’s.”

“But I must see Allen and help him—­he will need my inspiration now more than ever.”

“Shall we begin on our first lesson?” Covington asked, watching the girl carefully.

“Please do,” she said.  “I wonder if woman’s part is to give inspiration even after she is the manager of a business,” she said aloud, but to herself rather than to her companion.

“It is always woman’s part to give inspiration,” assented Covington.

“I must ask Eleanor,” the girl said.  “Please show me the papers, Mr. Covington,” she continued, turning to him with her mind at last centred on the new proposition.  “Your pupil is all attention.”

* * * * *

Alice saw Allen just before he left for New York and also immediately after his return, and the two interviews were interesting in their diversity.  In the first, Allen made light of the trouble between his father and himself, and was so filled with confidence as to the results of his approaching visit to the metropolis that the girl’s anxiety was much relieved.

“The pater is all right, Alice,” he said; “he just doesn’t understand me, that’s all.  He’s done everything in the world for me and I’m more grateful than he realizes; but I can’t let him keep tying on my bib, can I?  Now I’ve got to show him that I’m a man too, and then he’ll come around all right.  I’m going over to New York to-night and I’ll tell you all about it when I come back.  I’m not afraid of being turned down.  You’re a girl and you’d be mortified to death if any one turned you down, but with us men it’s different.  You remember what I told your father—­and I meant it.  Watch me do the hydra act until I get located, and then—­well, then I’ll start a branch mail-order department and push you off the map, Miss—­Manager.”