The evening world., 1914-02-14

dttcT DTduCu dSluo III HIS
vain search for the Pierrefeu clearing.
overtoppcd by tho Big Beech which
he knew so well In his youth.
He was lost in the forest. He had
como alone. not wishing 10 mix up
others in his terrible family history.
and not knowing what last fatal sur
prise might await him at the strange
meeting place fixed by Balaoo.
Time after time he seemed to rscog-
nize the paths that led to the Big
Beech Of Pierrefeu ut his footsteps
became involved and perhaps only
turned around themselves. Tho sun
was now sinking In the sky and pierre
Ing the tall trees with its rays. The
twilight was at hand. Balaoo! Made
leine!
Balaoo. you who loved your little
mistress 80 well, can II be true that
you carried her of like "a wild beast
and lent deaf ear to hor voice2
Despite the horror of that murder
GUS abduction, Coriolis did not yet
quito despair in the depths of his
being. Certainly 3alaoo must have
been terrible at the. first moment. and.
thinking only Of the hideous thing
that Madeleine's consenting departure
meant to him, he must have listened
only to the instinct of retaining pos
session OF the beloved object. and
cnrried or the young woman In his
arms with tho same recklessness with
which he would have stolen a lifeless
thing.
But afterward 1t was impossible
that Balaoo should not have yielded
to Madeleine's voice. which had for
the pitheca nthrope the same fascina-
ton that serpents lind in the voices
OF flutes.
Thus did Coriolis argue. or try TO
argue. as he continued to tear his
clothes and flesh against the brambles
In his path.
1t was this last hope which he built
upon no frail an hypothesis. In the
aoo's prolonged silence In his Pierre
feu clearing.
Alas, II the charm OF Madeleine's
voice was SO potent. the young woman
must have ceased to be a prisoner
from the first day! Poor Coriolis! His
thoughts strayed like hts footsteps;
and, as the golden beams OF the sun
now reached him horizontally through
the leaves. he struck the lower
branches like q mailman with his
crazy forehead
AS his eyes. in which lurked all the
despair In the world. rose to the sky
they encountered a thick circle of
Grows. chattering horribly. as birds
and men do after a great banquet.
Tho circle few up, then down again.
and at last disappeared az though
falling into the forest. with a mad
accompaniment Of hoarse cries like
the hiccuping laughter Of surfeited
birds of prey.
Coriolis's heart turned Icy cold.
And suddenly his gaze fell upon a
white veil clinging to young branch.
or. rather. to that shred OF material
white az a brides veil.
He had not doubt but that II was
Madeleine's veil. He recognized It,
His terror told him that he was not
deceived. He snatched II from the
forest with fevered hands and, sob
bling. raised II to his lips.
A few steps farther he found n
piece Of the satin OF the dress. and
then q little slipper. 1t was Made
,sins's little white Slipper lie COW
cred II with frenxied kisses.
And he called out. with all the
strength OF the sorrow that filled his
breast:
"Nadelsine! Aadeleine!"
He called In the way In which you
call not upon q living but upon q
dead woman who II dear to you in
the hope that she may appear to you
"MadoloinAl"