his time of the year, were
leafless. This avenue was lighted here and there, and beneath one of
the gas lamps Godfrey wheeled round to see Madame Riennes advancing on
him out of the gloom. Her stout form padded forward noiselessly, except
for the occasional crackle of a dead and frosted leaf beneath her foot.
She wore a thick cloak of some sort with a black hood that framed her
large, white face, making her look like a monk of the Inquisition as
depicted in various old prints. Beneath the blackness of this hood and
above the rigid line of the set mouth, stared two prominent and glowing
eyes, in which the gaslight was reflected. They reminded Godfrey of
those of a stalking cat in a dark room. Indeed, from the moment that he
caught sight of them he felt like the mouse cowering in a corner, or
like a bird in a tree fascinated by the snake that writhes towards it
along the bough.

"Ah, _mon petit_," said Madame, in her thick, creamy voice, that seemed
to emerge from her lower regions, "so I have found you. I was walking
through the town and a notion came to me that you were here, a--what
you call it?--instinct like that which make the dog find its master.
Only I master and you dog, eh?"

Godfrey tried to pull himself together, feeling that it would not be
wise to show fear of this woman, and greeted her as politely as he
could, taking off his hat with a flourish in the foreign fashion.

"Put that hat back on your head, _mon petit_, or you will catch cold
and be ill, you who are much too precious to be ill. Listen, now: I
have something to say to you. You have great luck, have you not? Ah!
sweet Sister Helen, she go to join the spirits, quite quick, as I tell
her a little while ago she will do, and she leaves you much money,
though to me, her old friend, her sister in the speerit, she give not
one sou, although she know I want it. Well, I think there some mistake,
and I wish to talk to Sister Helen about this money business. I think
she leave me something, somehow, if I can find out where. And you, dear
_petit_, can help me. Next Sunday you will come to my rooms of which I
give you address," and she thrust a card into his hand, "and we will
talk with Sister Helen, or at least with Eleanor, your little friend."

Godfrey shook his head vigorously, but she took no notice.

"What have you been buying," she went on, "with Sister Helen's money?
Presents, I think. Yes, yes, I see them in your pocket," and she fixed
her eyes up