"Humph!" The Doctor waved toward a great, low chair. "Suppose you sit over there, young man, and we'll get about our business. And don't look so woe-begone about it." Nick settled himself nervously in the designated chair; the Doctor seated himself at a little distance to the side, and Pat sat tensely in her usual place beside the hearth. She waited in strained impatience for the black magic of psychoanalysis to commence. "Now," said Horker, "I want you to keep quiet, Pat--if possible. And you, young man, are to relax, compose yourself, get yourself into as passive a state as possible. Do you understand?" "Yes, sir," The youth leaned back in the great chair, closing his eyes. "So! Now, think back to your childhood, your earliest memories. Let your thoughts wander at random, and speak whatever comes to your mind." Nick sat a moment in silence. "That's hard to do, sir," he said finally. "Yes. It will take practice, weeks of it, perhaps. You'll have to acquire the knack of it, but to do that, we'll have to start." "Yes, sir." He sat with closed eyes. "My mother," he murmured, "was kind. I remember her a little, just a little. She was very gentle, not apt to blame me. She could understand. Made excuses to my father. He was hard, not cruel--strict. Couldn't understand. Blamed me when I wasn't to blame. Other did it. I wasn't mischievous, but got the blame. Couldn't explain, he wouldn't believe me." He paused uncertainly. "Go on," said Horker quietly, while Pat strained her ears to listen. "Mrs. Stevens," he continued. "Governess after Mother died. Strict like Father, got punished when I wasn't to blame. Just as bad after Father died. Always blamed. Couldn't explain, nobody believed me. Other threw cat in window, I had to go to bed. Put salt in bird seed, broke leg of chair to make it fall. Punished--I couldn't explain." His voice droned into silence; he opened his eyes. "That all," he said nervously. "Good enough for the first time," said the Doctor briskly. "Wait a few weeks; we'll have your life's history out of you. It takes practice." "Is that all?" queried Pat in astonishment. "All for the first time. Later we'll let him talk half an hour at a stretch, but it takes practice, as I've mentioned. You run along home now," he said to Nick. "But it's early!" objected Pat. "Early or not," said the Doctor, "I'm tired, and you two aren't to see each other except here. You remember that." Nick rose from his seat in the depths of the great chair. "Thank you, sir," he said. "I don't know why, but I feel easier in your presence. The--the struggle disappears while I'm here." "Well," said Horker with a smile, "I like patients with confidence in me. Good night." At the door Nick paused, turning wistful eyes on Pat. "Good night," he said, leaning to give her a light kiss. A rush of some emotion twisted his features; he stared strangely at the girl. "I'd better go," he said abruptly, and vanished through the door.