hings, and won from them the
tale of their excessive poverty, which she promised to relieve if they
would take her to their mother.

This they willingly did, and Miriam found a pale, delicate-looking
woman, who, notwithstanding the raggedness of her dress, still bore
traces of having been at one time different to a poor fisherman's
wife.

Encouraged by the soft tones of her mysterious visitor, the woman
gradually unburdened her troubled heart by telling her the history of
her wretched life; how she had been doomed to follow her husband, an
Indian chief, to death; but, loving life better, she escaped with her
little children, but would have died of hunger on the seashore if
Jarima, her second husband, had not rescued her and offered her his
name and home.

"He is very good to me and my children; the past seems but a dream
now. If only we had money, all would be well."

Miriam, with a few gentle, consoling words, slipped a few bright coins
into the tiny brown hands of the astonished babies; then, with a sigh,
she bade the grateful mother adieu and went out to where Diniz was
waiting.

He read by her face that she had no better tidings, and, drawing her
hand through his arm, he turned away.

"Will it never come--the proof I want?" he said, half bitterly.

Scarcely had the words left his lips when a glad cry of "Father!" rent
the air, and three small forms bounded over the white shingle towards
a tall man, dressed in white linen.

Almost convulsively Miriam pressed Sampayo's arm to arrest his hasty
steps.

"We need go no farther," she whispered. "That is the man you want; and
if he is that woman's husband, his name is Jarima."

"Thank Heaven! To-morrow he will be arrested and the truth
discovered," Diniz muttered.

Silently they watched the man walk towards his humble home, the
children clinging lovingly to his hands. The woman came forward with a
bright smile, holding up her face to receive his caress.

"There can be no doubt. It is Jarima, and the man who sold the
poignard."

"Luiz's murderer," Diniz added between his set teeth.

Almost feverishly Sampayo hurried Miriam away. He was anxious to tell
Lianor of his success, and bring the assassin to justice.

Some distance from the Jew's shop he bade Miriam adieu, promising to
call and let her know the result.

On reaching Don Garcia's palace Diniz was surprised at the sounds of
bright music, mingled with happy voices, that floated on the air.

Satzav