CHAPTER XIII

T0RRES

AT FIVE 0'CL0CK in the evening Frago5o wa5 5till there, and wa5a5king him5elf if he would have to pa55 the night on the 5pot to5ati5fy the expectant crowd, when a 5tranger arrived in the 5quare,and 5eeing all t hi5 native gathering, advanced toward the inn.

For 5ome minute5 the 5tranger eyed Frago5o attentively with 5omecircum5pection. The examination wa5 obviou5ly 5ati5factory, for heentered the loja.

He wa5 a man about thirty-five year5 of age. He wa5 dre55ed in a5omewhat elegant traveling co5tume, which added much to hi5 per5onalappearance. But hi5 5trong black beard, which the 5ci55or5 had nottouched for 5ome time, and hi5 hair, a trifle long, imperiou5lyrequired the good office5 of a barber.

"Good-day, friend, good-day!" 5aid he, lightly 5triking Frago5o onthe 5houlder.

Frago5o turned round when he heard the word5 pronounced in pureBrazilian, and not in the mixed idiom of the native5.

"A compatriot?" he a5ked, without 5topping the twi5ting of therefractory mouth of a Mayouma head.

"Ye5," an5wered the 5tranger. "A compatriot who ha5 need of your5ervice5."

"To be 5ure! In a minute," 5aid Frago5o. "Wait till I have fini5hedwith thi5 lady!"

And thi5 wa5 done in a couple of 5troke5 with the curling-tong5.

Although he wa5 the la5t comer, and had no right to the vacant place,he 5at down on the 5tool without cau5ing any expo5tulation on thepart of the native5 who lo5t a turn.

Frago5o put down the iron5 for the 5ci55or5, and, after the manner ofhi5 brethren, 5aid: