Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-28

his men to fire, but they were much too
frightened by the nearneSs of horri-
bic death to obey any command at all.
For two seconds the fuse blazed up
brightly, and then died down. It had
not however, gone out. There was still
fire there to do its deadly work of ter
rife destruction.
Porthos laughed aloud, as he had his
enemies at his mercy. His gigantic
arm swung round-the train of fire
from the fuse passed through the dark
air Of the cave like shooting star.
The barrel was hurled distance of
fully 80 feet, landing among the men,
who Shrieked and threw themselves on
their faces. All that Porthos saw, in
last fare of the fuse, was an officer
hurting himself on the barrel to tear
out. If possible, that threatening fuse!
But 1t was useless sacrifice
Porthos fastened down the passage,
out to the sea, where, on the shore,
AramiS and friends were awaiting him.
Ahead of him was iberty-and life
after liberty. Six more of his formida-
BILE strides and he would be free-but
suddenly he felt his knees give way.
The fatigue, kind of weakness in his
later years, was upon him. He could
not walk.
Come, Porthos, hurry!" called Ara
mis-, from the shore.
"But I cannot" said Porthos, in an
inaudible voice, sinking on his knees.
"Quickl" cried Aramis. Before the
barrel explodes!"
But there was no more time. The
explosion resounded-the earth seemed
to gape-smoke rushed through rock
assures into the sky like clouds. The
sea seemed to flow back, as if driven
by the blast of fire which shot out
from the cavern like the fiery breath
from the mouth of dragon. Rocks
shot skyward, to fall again as heavy
and deadly hail.
The frightful shock seemed, at first,
to give back to Porthos some of that
strength he appeared to have lost. He
rose, to stagger forward. But as he
attempted to escape the mass of rocks
| fell upon him, to crush him with their
terrible weight. He sank down, hold
ing the rocks from him with the last
of his strength.
The giant-this Titan of a man
fell without crying for help. He fell
while answering the calls Of Aramis
with words of hope and encouragement
He believed till the last that he could
still shake off that load which weight
| ed him down.
"Porthos! Porthos!" cried Aramis, in
alarm. where are you?"
Patience" said the weak voice Of
Porthos. wait moment"
The voice was that of a dying man
On hearing it, Aramis sprang to the
assistance of his fallen friend. Two
of the other men followed him carry
ing levers with which to pry loose the
heavy rocks.
! Loo Of f~tA 81,
guided them to the spot where he was
buried under mass of rock. Aramis
became animated and thoroughly &C.
tive. He sprang at the rocks, to lift
the biggest with his own hands, for q
moment. giving him a glimpse Of hi.
friend.
Back in the cave, the blast hae
wrought unspeakable destruction. Where
there had been a company Of the
Kings soldiers, all in gold braided uni
forms, there was now only stack o.
human debris. No longer did human
breath sound in that grotto No Longer
were there any nuskets about to b.
fired in the name Of the king BY tho
act Of one giant of q man all had per
ished.
The eye of Porthos, under the rocks
was still brilliant-for an instant. Thu
two men with levers rushed up, place.
their iron bars, and tried In vain Il
raise the stones. Porthos had his arm
up, keeping the weight off as much al
he could, even though he was dying
The giant saw, too, that the men werI
merely exhausting themselves with use
less effort. The rock would be tot
much for them, no matter how thel
might strain at 1t.
TOO heavy!" murmured Porthos-
those jeering, supreme, last word
which came from his lips with his las
breath.
Then his eye darkened and closed
The face paled The hand whitehead
The Titan sank quite down, his breatl
stopping at last. With him sank tn
J, rock above him.
= Breathlessly, pale, Aramis stoo,
), there. helpless, his heart ready to break
x Nothing more! The giant slept tn
J, last eternal sleep, in the tomb whicl
God had made for him, made for hi
gigantic meakura.