"You are laboring under no delusion, Mr. Cobb," Lyman replied, smiling at the man's eagerness on the subject. "You are the same man whom we rescued from the pedestal of Sutro's statue, and you are still in the land of the living, after years of inanimation. You have had a long and most severe struggle for your life since being brought here on the night we dug you out of the pedestal. It is now the 16th of September, almost three months since your release, and you have lain upon your bed or sat in your chair nearly all the time. Your mind has wandered, and you have known no one until to-day. We have sat near you for hours, and for hours have listened to the history of your life." As he ceased speaking, he arose and filled a glass with wine, and gave it to the other, saying that it was necessary that he should get well as soon as possible, now that he was himself again. "And I have lain here since June 22d?" Cobb asked again. "Yes; lain, sat, and walked--for you did walk a very little of late." "It is strange! But, really, is it A. D. 2000?" "In truth, it is." "And Rawolle; where is he?" "Out; but he will soon be back, for he has not left your side, except for brief periods, since we brought you here. One of us has always been near you." Cobb looked at him a moment, and then asked: "Will you please explain why you are wearing such outlandish clothing, for it is entirely different from anything I have been accustomed to seeing," and he surveyed the other from head to foot. Lyman smiled, and took a step backward that a better view of him might be obtained. "All in good time, my boy," he answered. "Suffice it to say that this is the custom, or style, now. We have got a full suit for you as soon as you are able to put it on." Saying this, he went across the room and threw open the doors of a wardrobe, disclosing a number of articles of wearing apparel hanging therein. To Cobb, he presented an appearance quite out of the general order of dress, and an aspect quite comical; yet, the more he looked at him, the more he was inclined to admit that his dress was becoming, and, no doubt, very comfortable. It seemed to him that he had seen styles similar to that his friend wore, depicted in the old prints as worn by his forefathers. The main features were: tight-fitting knee-breeches, but coming a little lower down than those of the old style; black silk stockings and low-cut shoes, the shoes having large gilded buckles upon the instep; vest low in front, but closing at the neck; close-fitting cutaway coat without tails, unbuttoned in front, but held together by frogs; neither collars nor cuffs, but in their place small and neat rufflings. There was no shirt-front visible. His glance was but momentary, yet it was long enough for him to note these few changes and minor details in Lyman's dress. "Come, Cobb," said Lyman, "get up and dress. I will bring you your clothing."