t a day or two later, Peter Popenkoff was found dead in prison with
the skin on his face and hands all torn to shreds.

"There! Didn't we say so?" cried the inconsequent mob. "Peter Popenkoff
was innocent. One of the police themselves is the murderer."

"Come, you must acknowledge that we are on the right track now--it is
one of the police," M. Durant said to his friend.

But M. Hersant only shook his head.

"I acknowledge nothing of the sort," he said. "Come with me to the
mill-house to-night, and I will then tell you what I think."

To this proposition M. Durant willingly agreed, and, accompanied by his
friend and the village priest, set off. On their arrival, M. Hersant
produced a big compass, and on the earth floor of the mill-house drew a
large circle, in which he made with white chalk various signs and
symbols. He then sat in the middle of it, and bade his two companions
stand in the doorway and watch. The night grew darker and darker, and
presently into the air stole a something that all three men at once
realized was supernatural. M. Hersant coughed nervously, the priest
crossed himself, and M. Durant called out, "This is getting ridiculous.
These mediaeval proceedings are too absurd. Let us go home." The next
moment, from the far distance, a church clock began to strike. It was
midnight, and an impressive silence fell on the trio. Then there came a
noise like the flutterings of wings, a loud, blood-curdling scream, half
human and half animal, and a huge black owl, whirling down from the roof
of the building, perched in the circle directly in front of M. Hersant.

"Pray, Father! Pray quickly," M. Hersant whispered. "Pray for the dead,
and sprinkle the circle with holy water."

The priest, as well as his trembling limbs would allow, obeyed;
whereupon the bird instantly vanished.

"For Heaven's sake," M. Durant gasped, "tell us what it all means."

"Only this," M. Hersant said solemnly, "the phantasm we saw caused the
death of the Popenkoff family. It is the spirit of an owl that the
children, encouraged by their parents, killed in a most cruel manner. As
soon as I examined Marthe's body, I perceived the mutilations were due
to a bird; and when I visited this mill on the eve of my arrival, I knew
that a bird had once lived here; that it had been captured with lime and
murdered, and that it haunted the place."

"How could you know that?" the priest exclaimed in astonishment.

"I am clairvoyant. I saw the