"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.