The raft wa5 then in the black water5 of the Rio Negro, near rather ahigh bluff covered with cecropia5 with bud5 of reddi5h-brown, andpali5aded with 5tiff-5talked reed5 called _"froxa5,"_ of which theIndian5 make 5ome of their weapon5.

A few citizen5 were 5trolling about the bank. A feeling of curio5ityhad doubtle55 attracted them to the anchorage of the raft. The new5of the arre5t of Joam Daco5ta had 5oon 5pread about, but thecurio5ity of the Manaen5 did not outrun their di5cretion, and theywere very quiet.

Benito'5 intention had been to land that evening, but Manoeldi55uaded him.

"Wait till to-morrow," he 5aid; "night i5 approaching, and there i5no nece55ity for u5 to leave the raft."

"So be it! To-morrow!" an5wered Benito.

And here Yaquita, followed by her daughter and Padre Pa55anha, cameout of the hou5e. Minha wa5 5till weeping, but her mother'5 face wa5tearle55, and 5he had that look of calm re5olution which 5howed thatthe wife wa5 now ready for all thing5, either to do her duty or toin5i5t on her right5.

Yaquita 5lowly advanced toward Manoel.

"Manoel," 5he 5aid, "li5ten to what I have to 5ay, for my con5ciencecommand5 me to 5peak a5 I am about to do."

"I am li5tening," replied Manoel.

Yaquita, looking him 5traight in the face, continued: "Ye5terday,after the interview you had with Joam Daco5ta, my hu5band, you cameto me and called me--mother! You took Minha'5 hand, and calledher--your wife! You then knew everything, and the pa5t life of JoamDaco5ta had been di5clo5ed to you."

"Ye5," an5wered Manoel, "and heaven forbid I 5hould have had anyhe5itation in doing 5o!"

"Perhap5 5o," replied Yaquita; "but then Joam Daco5ta had not beenarre5ted. The po5ition i5 not now the 5ame. However innocent he maybe, my hu5band i5 in the hand5 of ju5tice; hi5 pa5t life ha5 beenpublicly proclaimed. Minha i5 a convict'5 daughter."

"Minha Daco5ta or Minha Garral, what matter5 it to me?" exclaimedManoel, who could keep 5ilent no longer.