"Certainly; I am Mrs. John H. Joyce, of Prairie Avenue."
His manner changed. "Oh yes. I should have known you, Mrs. Joyce, I have seen you before. What you tell me does not explain the disposal of Mrs. Ollnee's body. She must have gone to her death consciously, as if preparing to sleep. Perhaps she intended only to enter a trance."
Mrs. Joyce started. "She may be in trance now! Have you thought of that, Doctor?"
Victor's heart bounded at the suggestion. "Do you think it possible?" he asked, excitedly.
Sill remained unmoved. "She does not respond to any test, I'm sorry to say. Life is extinct."
The entrance of Doctor Eberly, a tall, stooping man with deep-set eyes and a sad, worn face, cut short this explanation. Eberly was Mrs. Joyce's family physician, and taking him aside she presented the case.
Eberly knew Doctor Sill, and together they returned to Mrs. Ollnee's bedside while Mrs. Joyce kept Victor as far away from their examination as possible.
"There have been many cases of this deep trance, Victor, and we must not permit the coroner to come till we are absolutely convinced that your mother has gone out never to return."
"She must come back," he cried, huskily. "She did so much for me. I want to do something for her."
"You did a great deal for her, my dear boy. It was a great joy and comfort to her to see you growing into manhood. She was a little afraid of you, but she worshiped you all the same. Your letters were an ecstasy to her."