"They are not especially well chosen. I fear you'll find them a mixed lot. I read nothing but law in the city--here I indulge my fancy. You'll wonder what my principle of selection is, and, if you ask me, I must answer--I haven't any. I buy whatever commends itself to me at the moment. One thing leads to another--romance to history, history to poetry, poetry to the drama, and so on." He greeted a very tidy maid who entered the room. "Good-evening, Marie. This is Mrs. Ollnee, and this is her son, Mr. Victor Ollnee. Please see that they are made comfortable." Then again to his guests. "You must be tired." "I am so, Mr. Bartol," replied Mrs. Ollnee, "and if you'll pardon me I'll go to my room." "Certainly--and you may go, too, if you feel like it," he said to Victor. "I am not sleepy," replied Victor. "Very well," replied his host. "Be seated and we'll discuss the situation for a few minutes." He led the way to a corner where two wide windows opening on the lawn made delicious mingling of night air and study light, and offering his guest a cigar, took a seat, saying: "I run out here whenever the city becomes a burden. I find I need just such a corrective to the intense life of the city. It is my rule to give no thought to legal troubles while I am here; hence the absence of codes and all legal literature. You are a college man, Mrs. Joyce tells me." "I was at Winona last Saturday, and expected to stay there till June, when I was due to graduate. Then the devil broke loose, and here I am. When will my mother's case come up?" "Not for some weeks, I fear. If you wish to return to your studies we can arrange that." "No. I'm done with school. I'm only worried about my mother. What do you think of her case, Mr. Bartol?" "I'm not informed sufficiently to say," he replied, slowly. "The whole subject of hypnotic control seems to be involved. I must know more of your mother before I can even hazard an opinion. The theories of suggestion are all rather vague to me. I have only what might be called a newspaper knowledge of them; but I have some information as to your mother's profession I gained from my friend Mrs. Joyce, so that I am not entirely uninformed. Besides, it is a lawyer's business to know everything, and I shall at once proceed to bore into the subject." Mrs. Ollnee returning brought him to his feet in graceful acknowledgment of her sex, and placing a chair for her, he said, "I hope you don't mind tobacco." "Not at all," she replied, quite as graciously. He placed a chair for her so that the light fell upon her face, and she knew that he intended to study her as if she were a page of strange text.