n't be so absent-minded. You look as if you were
at a funeral."

The other, a workgirl, tried to smile and gave a deep sigh.

"I'm sorry, Mademoiselle Rose, to be out of sorts, but I feel very
upset."

Two police officers tried to force their way to the musicians and after
some difficulty they succeeded in arresting the flute and the trombone
players.

This act of brutality occasioned some commotion and the crowd began to
murmur.

The employes of _La Capitale_ now brought up several handcarts and
improvised a sort of platform. Gentlemen in frock coats then appeared on
the scene and gathered round it. One or two were recognized and pointed
out by the crowd.

"There's M. Dupont, the deputy and director of _La Capitale_."

A red-faced young man with turned up moustaches was pronounced to be M.
de Panteloup, the general manager of the paper.

As a matter of fact, those who read _La Capitale_ had been advised
through its columns that an attempt would be made to solve the mystery
of the Singing Fountains, which had intrigued Paris for so many weeks. A
small army of newsboys offered the paper for sale during the ceremony.
Marie Pascal bought a copy and read it eagerly.

"They haven't a word about the affair yet," she cried.

At that moment the powerful voice of M. de Panteloup was heard:

"You are now going to hear an interesting speech by the celebrated
archivist and paleographer, M. Anastasius Baringouin, who, better than
anyone else, can explain to you the strange enigma of the Singing
Fountains."

An immense shout of laughter greeted the orator as he mounted the steps
to the stage. He was an old man, very wrinkled and shaky, wearing a high
hat much too large for his head. He was vainly trying to settle his
glasses upon a very red nose. In a thin, sharp voice, he began:

"The phenomenon of the Singing Fountains is not, as might be supposed,
wholly unexpected. Similar occurrences have already been noted and date
back to remote antiquity. Formerly a stone statue was erected in the
outskirts of the town of Thebes to the memory of Memnon. When the beams
of the rising sun struck it, harmonious sounds were heard to issue from
it. At first this peculiarity was attributed to some form of trickery, a
secret spring or a hidden keyboard. But upon further research, it was
demonstrated that the sounds arose from purely physical and natural
causes."

The crowd which hitherto had listened in silence to the orator now beg