er
neck, and a remark she made to her maidens as she gazed in the mirror
excited the eager attention of one of them. She heard her fair mistress
say, "Oh, that I had a flask of the purifying water from the closed
fountain!" Presently the officious waiting-woman was seen leading men to
the fountain. With levers they quickly lifted the stone, for some
mysterious force within seemed to aid them.

Then from the fountain solemnly rose a white column of water. It was
presently perceived that it was a pale female figure, veiled in white.
She was weeping bitterly as she walked slowly to the building, while
Bertalda and her attendants, pale with terror, watched from the window.
The figure passed on, and at the door of Huldbrand's room, where the
knight was partly undressed, was heard a gentle tap. The white figure
slowly entered. It was Undine, who softly said, "They have opened the
spring, and now I am here and you must die." Said the knight, "It must
be so! But let me die in your embrace."

"Most gladly, my loved one," said she, throwing back her veil and
disclosing her face divinely smiling. Imprinting on his lips a sacred
kiss, Undine clasped the knight in her arms, weeping as if she would
weep her very soul away. Huldbrand fell softly back on the pillows of
his couch, a corpse.

At the funeral of Huldbrand the veiled figure appeared when the
procession formed a circle round the grave. All knelt in mute devotion
at a signal from Father Heilmann. When they rose again the white
stranger had vanished, and on the spot where she had knelt a silvery
little fountain gushed forth, which almost encircled the grave and then
ran on till it reached a lake near by. And to this day the inhabitants
cherish the tradition that thus the poor rejected Undine still lovingly
embraces her husband.

* * * * *

EMILE GABORIAU

"File No. 113"

Emile Gaboriau, one of the best-known exponents of the "police
story," was born at Saujon, in France, on November 9, 1833. He
began life in a lawyer's office, became a volunteer in a
cavalry regiment, and, later, secretary to Paul Feval, the
novelist and dramatist. In the meantime, Gaboriau had
contributed a number of sketches dealing with military and
fashionable life to various minor Parisian journals, but it
was not until 1866, with the publication of "L'Affaire
Lerouge," that he suddenly sprang into fame. From t