Near at hand, upon a shelf, were his books.

There were but two chairs in the room--the straight backed wooden chair, that stood in front of the table, angular, upright, and in which it was impossible to take one's ease, and the long comfortable wicker steamer chair, stretching its length in front of the south window.

Presley was immensely fond of this room.

It amused and interested him to maintain its air of rigorous simplicity and freshness.

He abhorred cluttered bric-a-brac and meaningless objets d'art.