"We're arguing about dual personalities. Mr. Steell insists that there is no such thing. Mr. Reynolds agrees with him. He is wrong of course. I know of several well-authenticated cases, and the medical records are there to back me up." "Exactly what do you mean by dual personality?" demanded the lawyer. Ray returned to the attack, while Helen, amused, rose from the piano and went over to listen to the argument. "I mean that a person we know well may suddenly cease being that person and assume a personality entirely different." Mr. Steell laughed derisively. "Does the patient change her or his skin?" "No, the change is wholly mental. Although in fact, the new mental attitude does result in certain physical modifications. For instance, a person who in his normal condition may be most punctilious and neat in his dress is likely to become unkempt and slovenly in the new character he unconsciously assumes." "Have you ever encountered any such dual personalities?" "Personally, no. But I have heard of them, and physicians often encounter them in their practice." The lawyer shrugged his shoulders as he turned to Helen. "What do you think about it?" he asked, with an incredulous smile. "About what?" "These so-called dual personalities." Before his hostess could answer, the drawing-room door opened and Mr. Parker entered. Helen rose and went forward to greet the president of the Americo-African Mining Company. "Oh, Mr. Parker, how are you? I am so glad you came to see us." The visitor advanced smiling into the room. With a salute to all present, he asked cheerily: "Well, what news of the wanderer?" Helen sighed. "None as yet." The visitor chuckled as he crossed the room to shake hands with Ray and Mr. Steell. "Oh, well you must be patient. He'll soon be there, and then we shall hear wonderful tales." "What's the latest news from the seat of war--I mean the mines?" asked Ray roguishly. Mr. Parker smiled. "Everything is going well, thank you." "No new big finds?" demanded Mr. Steell. The president laughed. Shaking his head, he said: "We can't expect to make such finds every day. If we often picked up stones of that size, we'd soon own all the wealth in the world." "More likely," retorted Ray quickly, "that diamonds would become so cheap that children would buy them for marbles." Mr. Steell looked interested. "What is the real market value of the two big gems you have already picked up?" The president looked at him for a moment in silence. Then, slowly, he said: "A very conservative estimate is $1,200,000 for both stones. They are the purest white. There are larger stones in the world, but none of finer quality." "What do you expect to do with them?"