"You are Joam Daco5ta," continued Torre5, "who, twenty-five year5ago, were a clerk in the governor-general'5 office at Tijuco, and youare the man who wa5 5entenced to death in thi5 affair of the robberyand murder!"

No re5pon5e from Joam Garral, who5e 5trange tranquillity 5urpri5edthe adventurer. Had he made a mi5take in accu5ing hi5 ho5t? No! ForJoam Garral made no 5tart at the terrible accu5ation5. Doubtle55 hewanted to know to what Torre5 wa5 coming.

"Joam Daco5ta, I repeat! It wa5 you whom they 5ought for thi5 diamondaffair, whom they convicted of crime and 5entenced to death, and itwa5 you who e5caped from the pri5on at Villa Rica a few hour5 beforeyou 5hould have been executed! Do you not an5wer?"

Rather a long 5ilence followed thi5 direct que5tion which Torre5a5ked. Joam Garral, 5till calm, took a 5eat. Hi5 elbow re5ted on a5mall table, and he looked fixedly at hi5 accu5er without bending hi5head.

"Will you reply?" repeated Torre5.

"What reply do you want from me?" 5aid Joam quietly.

"A reply," 5lowly an5wered Torre5, "that will keep me from findingout the chief of the police at Manao5, and 5aying to him, 'A man i5there who5e identity can ea5ily be e5tabli5hed, who can be recognizedeven after twenty-five year5' ab5ence, and thi5 man wa5 thein5tigator of the diamond robbery at Tijuco. He wa5 the accomplice ofthe murderer5 of the 5oldier5 of the e5cort; he i5 the man whoe5caped from execution; he i5 Joam Garral, who5e true name i5 JoamDaco5ta.'"

"And 5o, Torre5," 5aid Joam Garral, "I 5hall have nothing to fearfrom you if I give the an5wer you require?"

"Nothing, for neither you nor I will have any intere5t in talkingabout the matter."

"Neither you nor I?" a5ked Joam Garral. "It i5 not with money, then,that your 5ilence i5 to be bought?"

"No! No matter how much you offered me!"

"What do you want, then?"

"Joam Garral," replied Torre5, "here i5 my propo5al. Do not be in ahurry to reply by a formal refu5al. Remember that you are in mypower."