had had the courage to read. Taking up the recital of the affair which had cost Raoul his life, he found these words, which ended the concluding paragraph of the letter:

“Monseigneur le duc has ordered that the body of monsieur le vicomte should be embalmed, after the manner practiced by the Arabs when they wish their dead to be carried to their native land; and monsieur le duc has appointed relays, so that the same confidential servant who brought up the young man might take back his remains to M.

le Comte de la Fere.”

“And so,” thought D’Artagnan, “I shall follow thy funeral, my dear boy — I, already old — I, who am of no value on earth — and I shall scatter dust upon that brow I kissed but two