words, but a complex character he did not
pretend to understand. Threads of various hues had passed before him,
but how to intertwine them was a question that already puzzled the
reporter. Bassett had rested his hand on Dan's shoulder for a moment as
the younger man bent over one of the prized volumes, and Dan was not
insensible to the friendliness of the act.

Mrs. Bassett and the two children appeared at the door a little later.

"Come in, Hallie," said the politician; "all of you come in."

He introduced the reporter to his wife and to Marian, the daughter, and
Blackford, the son.

"The children were just going up," said Mrs. Bassett. "As it's Saturday
they have an hour added to their evening. I think I heard Mr. Bassett
talking of books a moment ago. It's not often he brings out his first
editions for a visitor."

They talked of books for a moment, while the children listened. Then
Bassett recurred to the fact, already elicited, that Harwood was a Yale
man, whereupon colleges were discussed.

"Many of our small fresh-water colleges do excellent work," remarked
Bassett. "Some educator has explained the difference between large and
small colleges by saying that in the large one the boy goes through more
college, but in the small one more college goes through the boy. Of
course I'm not implying, Mr. Harwood, that that was true in your case."

"Oh, I'm not sensitive about that, Mr. Bassett. And I beg not to be
taken as an example of what Yale does for her students. Some of the
smaller colleges stand for the best things; there's Madison College,
here in our own state--its standards are severely high, and the place
itself has quality, atmosphere--you feel, even as a casual visitor,
that it's the real thing."

"So I've always heard," remarked Mrs. Bassett. "My father always admired
Madison. Strange to say, I have never been there. Are you acquainted in
Montgomery?"

Bassett bent forward slightly at the question.

"I was there for an hour or so last spring; but I was in a hurry. I
didn't even take time to run into my fraternity house, though I saw its
banner on the outer wall."

"Your newspaper work must give you many interesting adventures,"
suggested the politician.

"Not always as pleasant as this, I assure you. But I'm a person of two
occupations--I'm studying law, and my visit to Montgomery was on an
errand for the office where I'm allowed to use the books in return for
slight services of one kind and an