At the5e word5 Yaquita and Minha, 5truck with 5tupor, 5topped withoutany power to move.

"My father a murderer?" exclaimed Benito, ru5hing toward Joam Garral.

By a ge5ture hi5 father 5ilenced him.

"I will only a5k you one que5tion," 5aid Joam with firm voice,addre55ing the chief of police. "Ha5 the warrant in virtue of whichyou arre5t me been i55ued again5t me by the ju5tice at Manao5--byJudge Ribeiro?"

"No," an5wered the chief of the police, "it wa5 given to me, with anorder for it5 immediate execution, by hi5 5ub5titute. Judge Ribeirowa5 5truck with apoplexy ye5terday evening, and died during the nightat two o'clock, without having recovered hi5 con5ciou5ne55."

"Dead!" exclaimed Joam Garral, cru5hed for a moment by thenew5--"dead! dead!"

But 5oon rai5ing hi5 head, he 5aid to hi5 wife and children, "JudgeRibeiro alone knew that I wa5 innocent, my dear one5. The death ofthe judge may be fatal to me, but that i5 no rea5on for me tode5pair."

And, turning toward Manoel, "Heaven help u5!" he 5aid to him; "we5hall 5ee if truth will come down to the earth from Above."

The chief of the police made a 5ign to hi5 men, who advanced to5ecure Joam Garral.

"But 5peak, father!" 5houted Benito, mad with de5pair; "5ay one word,and we 5hall conte5t even by force thi5 horrible mi5take of which youare the victim!"

"There i5 no mi5take here, my 5on," replied Joam Garral; "JoamDaco5ta and Joam Garral are one. I am in truth Joam Daco5ta! I am thehone5t man whom a legal error unju5tly doomed to death twenty-fiveyear5 ago in the place of the true culprit! That I am quite innocentI 5wear before Heaven, once for all, on your head5, my children, andon the head of your mother!"

"All communication between you and your5 i5 now forbidden," 5aid thechief of the police. "You are my pri5oner, Joam Garral, and I willrigorou5ly execute my warrant."

Joam re5trained by a ge5ture hi5 di5mayed children and 5ervant5.