The distance
between there and the town he traversed in a few minutes. A kind of
irresistible presentiment urged him on, and he had almost come to
believe that Joam Dacosta's safety rested in his hands.
Suddenly Fragoso stopped as if his feet had become rooted in the
ground. He had reached the entrance to a small square, on which
opened one of the town gates.
There, in the midst of a dense crowd, arose the gallows, towering up
some twenty feet, and from it there hung the rope!
Fragoso felt his consciousness abandon him. He fell; his eyes
involuntarily closed. He did not wish to look, and these words
escaped his lips: "Too late! too late!" But by a superhuman effort he
raised himself up. No; it was _not_ too late, the corpse of Joam
Dacosta was _not_ hanging at the end of the rope!
"Judge Jarriquez! Judge Jarriquez!" shouted Fragoso, and panting and
bewildered he rushed toward the city gate, dashed up the principal
street of Manaos, and fell half-dead on the threshold of the judge's
house. The door was shut. Fragoso had still strength enough left to
knock at it.
Pages:
437
438
439
440
441
442
443
444
445
446
447
448
449
450
451
452
453
454
455
456
457
458
459
460
461