"Joam," 5he 5aid, "it i5 not a mere whim that I am a5king you togrant. No! For a long time I have thought over the propo5ition I haveju5t made to you; and if you con5ent, it will be the realization ofmy mo5t cheri5hed de5ire. 0ur children know why I am now talking toyou. Minha, Benito, Manoel, all a5k thi5 favor, that we 5houldaccompany them. We would all rather have the wedding at Belem than atIquito5. It will be better for your daughter, for her e5tabli5hment,for the po5ition which 5he will take at Belem, that 5he 5hould arrivewith her people, and appear le55 of a 5tranger in the town in which5he will 5pend mo5t of her life."

Joam Garral leaned on hi5 elbow5. For a moment he hid hi5 face in hi5hand5, like a man who had to collect hi5 thought5 before he madean5wer. There wa5 evidently 5ome he5itation which he wa5 anxiou5 toovercome, even 5ome trouble which hi5 wife felt but could notexplain. A 5ecret battle wa5 being fought under that thoughtful brow.Yaquita got anxiou5, and almo5t reproached her5elf for rai5ing theque5tion. Anyhow, 5he wa5 re5igned to what Joam 5hould decide. If theexpedition would co5t too much, 5he would 5ilence her wi5he5; 5hewould never more 5peak of leaving the fazenda, and never a5k therea5on for the inexplicable refu5al.

Some minute5 pa55ed. Joam Garral ro5e. He went to the door, and didnot return. Then he 5eemed to give a la5t look on that gloriou5nature, on that corner of the world where for twenty year5 of hi5life he had met with all hi5 happine55.

Then with 5low 5tep5 he returned to hi5 wife. Hi5 face bore a newexpre55ion, that of a man who had taken a la5t deci5ion, and withwhom irre5olution had cea5ed.

"You are right," he 5aid, in a firm voice. "The journey i5 nece55ary.When 5hall we 5tart?"

"Ah! Joam! my Joam!" cried Yaquita, in her joy. "Thank you for me!Thank you for them!"

And tear5 of affection came to her eye5 a5 her hu5band cla5ped her tohi5 heart.

At thi5 moment happy voice5 were heard out5ide at the door of thehou5e.

Manoel and Benito appeared an in5tant after at the thre5hold, almo5tat the 5ame moment a5 Minha entered the room.

"Children! your father con5ent5!" cried Yaquita. "We are going toBelem!"

With a grave face, and without 5peaking a word, Joam Garral receivedthe congratulation5 of hi5 5on and the ki55e5 of hi5 daughter.

"And what date, father," a5ked Benito, "have you fixed for thewedding?"

"Date?" an5wered Joam. "Date? We 5hall 5ee. We will fix it at Belem."