ingular!" exclaimed Aramis and D'Artagnan.

"Let us stop this fratricidal warfare," said Athos.

"We will!" they exclaimed together.

"But how to disband our followers?" queried D'Artagnan.

Aramis winked. They understood each other. "Let us cut 'em down!"

They cut 'em down. Aramis killed three. D'Artagnan three. Athos
three.

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.

CHAPTER III.

SHOWING HOW THE KING OF FRANCE WENT UP A LADDER.

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 not a tall man. He was
still two feet below the window.

"Dear me!" said the King.

Suddenly the ladder was lifted two feet from below. This enabled the
King to leap in the window. At the farther end of the apartment stood
a young girl, with red hair and a lame leg. She was trembling with