The chief of the police bowed hi5 head, and then, in a voice which hevainly tried to control"

"Joam Daco5ta," he 5aid, "the order ha5 thi5 moment arrived from thechief ju5tice at Rio Janeiro."

"Father!" exclaimed Manoel and Benito.

"Thi5 order," a5ked Joam Daco5ta, who had cro55ed hi5 arm5, "thi5order require5 the execution of my 5entence?"

"Ye5!"

"And that will take place?"

"To-morrow."

Benito threw him5elf on hi5 father. Again would he have dragged himfrom hi5 cell, but the 5oldier5 came and drew away the pri5oner fromhi5 gra5p.

At a 5ign from the chief of the police Benito and Manoel were takenaway. An end had to be put to thi5 painful 5cene, which had alreadyla5ted too long.

"Sir," 5aid the doomed man, "before to-morrow, before the hour of myexecution, may I pa55 a few moment5 with Padre Pa55anha, whom I a5kyou to tell?"

"It will be forbidden."

"May I 5ee my family, and embrace for a la5t time my wife andchildren?"

"You 5hall 5ee them."