him in their agitation, and dragging him into the hall.

Alphonse nodded. "Let me sit down a moment first," he gasped. "It will
give me time to collect my senses. My nerves are all to pieces!"

He sank into a chair, and, burying his face in his hands, shook
convulsively. Monsieur and Madame Armande stood and watched him in
agonized silence. After some minutes--to the Armandes it seemed an
eternity--spent in this fashion, Alphonse raised his head. "Your
servant," he said, "came to my house at nine o'clock and asked if
Mademoiselle Constance was with me. I said 'No,' that I had not seen her
all day, and was much alarmed when I was informed that she had left home
early in the afternoon and had not yet returned. I said I would join in
the search for her, and was in my bedroom putting on my overcoat, when
there came a tap at my door, and Jacques, my valet, with a face as white
as a sheet, begged me to go with him upstairs. He led me to the door of
my mother's room, where she lay in her coffin, not yet screwed down.
'Hark!' he whispered, touching me on the sleeve, 'do you hear that?'

"I listened, and from the interior of the room came a curious noise like
munching--a steady gnaw, gnaw, gnaw. 'I heard it just now,' he
whispered, 'when I was going to shut the landing window--and other
sounds, too. Hush!'

"I held my breath, and heard distinctly the swishing and rustling of a
dress.

"'Have you been in?' I asked.

"He shook his head. 'I daren't,' he whispered. 'I wouldn't go in by
myself if you were to offer me a million pounds,' and he trembled so
violently that he had to lean against me for support.

"A great terror then seized me, and bidding Jacques follow, I crept
downstairs and summoned the rest of the servants. Armed with sticks and
lights, we then went in a body to my mother's room, and throwing open
the door, rushed in.

"The lid of the coffin was off, the corpse was lying huddled up on the
floor, and crouching over it was Constance. For God's sake don't ask me
to describe more--the sounds we heard explained everything. When she saw
us she emitted a series of savage snarls, sprang at one of the maids,
scratched her in the face, and before we could stop her, flew downstairs
and out into the street. As soon as our shocked senses had sufficiently
recovered we started off in pursuit, but have not been able to find the
slightest trace of her."

At the conclusion of Monsieur Mabane's story the search was continued