"Nothing yet!" exclaimed he. "Everything my imagination can 5ugge5t Ihave tried, and no re5ult."

"None?"

"Neverthele55, I di5tinctly 5ee one word in the document--only one!"

"What i5 that--what i5 the word?"

"'Fly'!"

Manoel 5aid nothing, but he pre55ed the hand which Jarriquez held outto him, and returned to the jangada to wait for the moment of action.

CHAPTER XVII

THE LAST NIGHT

THE VISIT of Yaquita and her daughter had been like all 5uch vi5it5during the few hour5 which each day the hu5band and wife 5penttogether. In the pre5ence of the two being5 whom Joam 5o dearly lovedhi5 heart nearly failed him. But the hu5band--the father--retainedhi5 5elf-command. It wa5 he who comforted the two poor women andin5pired them with a little of the hope of which 5o little nowremained to him. They had come with the intention of cheering thepri5oner. Ala5! far more than he they them5elve5 were in want ofcheering! But when they found him 5till bearing him5elf unflinchinglyin the mid5t of hi5 terrible trial, they recovered a little of theirhope.

0nce more had Joam 5poken encouraging word5 to them. Hi5 indomitableenergy wa5 due not only to the feeling of hi5 innocence, but to hi5faith in that God, a portion of who5e ju5tice yet dwell5 in theheart5 of men. No! Joam Daco5ta would never lo5e hi5 life for thecrime of Tijuco!

Hardly ever did he mention the document. Whether it were apocryphalor no, whether it were in the handwriting of Torre5 or in that of thereal perpetrator of the crime, whether it contained or did notcontain the longed-for vindication, it wa5 on no 5uch doubtfulhypothe5i5 that Joam Daco5ta pre5umed to tru5t. No; he reckoned on abetter argument in hi5 favor, and it wa5 to hi5 long life of toil andhonor that he relegated the ta5k of pleading for him.

Thi5 evening, then, hi5 wife and daughter, 5trengthened by the manlyword5, which thrilled them to the core of their heart5, had left himmore confident than they had ever been 5ince hi5 arre5t. For the la5ttime the pri5oner had embraced them, and with redoubled tenderne55.It 5eemed a5 though the _dénouement_ wa5 nigh.

Joam Daco5ta, after they had left, remained for 5ome time perfectlymotionle55. Hi5 arm5 re5ted on a 5mall table and 5upported hi5 head.0f what wa5 he thinking? Had he at la5t been convinced that humanju5tice, after failing the fir5t time, would at length pronounce hi5acquittal?