Mother Souchard, pale and trembling, stammered out:

" Why, my poor Monsieur Mintie, Madame isn't in there. Madame has not come back. . . ."

" Take care, you old sorceress ! Don't try to make a fool out of me ! And do as I tell you or I'll kill and smash everybody and everything Juliette, you, the furniture, the house."

The old servant raised her arms to the ceiling in bewilderment.

" I swear to you by the Lord ! She has not come back yet, Monsieur Mintie! Go into her bedroom and see for yourself ! I am telling you ! "

In two bounds I was in the bedroom. . . the bedroom was empty. . . the bed had not been touched. Mother Souchard followed every step I made, repeating:

" See, Monsieur Mintie ! See ! Because you are no longer together. At this hour ! . . ."

I passed into the dressing room. Everything was in order just as it had been when we used to come home late at night. Juliette's things were lying on the sofa, a boiler full of water was on the gas stove.

"And where is she?" I asked.

" Ah ! Monsieur," Mother Souchard replied, " does anybody know where Madame goes? There was a man here this morning who looked like some kind of a valet and spoke to Celestine, and then Celestine went out taking with her a change of clothes for Madame. , . . That's all I know 1 "

While prowling in the study I found the card which I had sent her the day before.

" Did Madame read this? "

" Probably not."

"And you don't know where she is?"