treat me as such.”

“Ah! pardieu!” said D’Artagnan, “you know you will not be my prisoner very long.”

“No,” said Aramis, “they will doubtless treat us like the prisoners of the Philipghauts.”

“And how were they treated?” asked D’Artagnan.

“Why,” said Aramis, “one-half were hanged and the other half were shot.”

“Well, I,” said D’Artagnan “I answer that while there remains a drop of blood in my veins you will be neither hanged nor shot. Sang Diou! let them come on! Besides — do you see that door, Athos?”

“Yes; what then?”