The friends again embraced. "How like old times," said Aramis. "How touching!" exclaimed the serious and philosophic Count de la Fere.

   The galloping of hoofs caused them to withdraw from each other's embraces. A gigantic figure rapidly approached.

   "The innkeeper of Provins!" they cried, drawing their swords.

   "Perigord, down with him!" shouted D'Artagnan.

   "Stay," said Athos.

   The gigantic figure was beside them. He uttered a cry.

   "Athos, Aramis, D'Artagnan!"

   "Porthos!" exclaimed the astonished trio.

   "The same." They all fell in each other's arms.

   The Count de la Fere slowly raised his hands to Heaven. "Bless you! Bless us, my children! However different our opinion may be in regard to politics, we have but one opinion in regard to our own merits. Where can you find a better man than Aramus?"

   "Than Porthos?" said Aramis.

   "Than D'Artagnan?" said Porthos.

   "Than Athos?" said D'Artagnan.

   The King descended into the garden. Proceeding cautiously along the terraced walk, he came to the wall immediately below the windows of Madame. To the left were two windows, concealed by vines. They opened into the apartments of La Valliere.

   The King sighed.

   "It is about nineteen feet to that window," said the King. "If I had a ladder about nineteen feet long, it would reach to that window. This is logic."

   Suddenly the King stumbled over something. "St. Denis!" he exclaimed, looking down. It was a ladder, just nineteen feet long.

   The King placed it against the wall. In so doing, he fixed the lower end upon the abdomen of a man who lay concealed by the wall The man did not utter a cry or wince. The King suspected nothing. He ascended the ladder.

   The ladder was too short. Louis the Grand was 

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