in the direction which her husband desired,
and, as he said, Covington was undoubtedly able to handle the situation
himself. Mrs. Gorham had watched the "lessons" from the corner of her
eye, and had seen much which had evidently escaped Alice.

"I'd like to ask you a question." Mrs. Gorham looked up quickly at the
abruptness of the girl's sudden remark. "You are the only one I can go
to when I don't understand anything; but Mr. Covington told me to think
it over and keep what he said entirely to myself. He couldn't have meant
me to keep it from you, could he?"

"You are the best judge of that, dear. Has it to do with yourself?"

"Not exactly--it has to do with my property: the money my mother left
me, you know."

"Why should he interest himself in that?"

"As a surprise to daddy--to show him how rapidly I am becoming a
business woman."

"I think you had better talk it over with your father," Eleanor said,
decidedly. "He can advise you far better than Mr. Covington."

"Oh, no; that is the very thing I mustn't do. That would spoil the
whole thing. Mr. Covington knows of a stock which I could buy which will
double within two months, and father will be delighted when he sees how
cleverly I have invested the money."

"But you can't do anything with that money without your father's
permission."

"Yes, I can; Mr. Covington has looked it all up. I have full control
over it now that I am eighteen. All I have to do is to sign a paper
which he will bring me, and he will do the rest."

Mrs. Gorham was thoughtful for some moments. "Mr. Covington would
certainly take no chances with the girl's money," she mused. "I wonder
what Robert would think of it." Then aloud, "Did he tell you what the
stock was?"

"Yes; but you mustn't breathe it. You don't think I'm betraying a
confidence, do you? He was so emphatic about my thinking it over by
myself; but he couldn't have meant not to tell you, dear. It is some
stock in a street railway here in New York which he thinks he can get
hold of. Wouldn't it be fine to double my money! But I must promise not
to tell daddy how I did it--just surprise him with it."

"I don't know what to advise you, Alice," Eleanor said, doubtfully.

"It must be all right, for Mr. Covington knows," the girl insisted;
"that's why daddy has him come to teach me. But I shall think it over
very carefully, as he asked me to." Alice threw her arms impulsively
around Eleanor's neck and kissed her, laughing hap