She had left the letters scattered upon the floor and had crept into her mother's arms to whisper sobbingly: "Oh, I am so homesick and miserable. I want to see Parthy and Ira. I want them all. It has all come back. Please love me. Please love me very much."
Because of these too poignantly sweet memories both she and her mother were glad when Christmastide was over, and the present only absorbed them.
The Russian took his leave before the New Year, "without dropping a bomb in our midst," Anita whispered to her mother when they heard he had gone. Another student took his place, a sallow, unprepossessing person upon whom Miss Ralston's blandishments had no effect and from whom none but the Perlitas were ever able to evoke a remark.
The married couple came or went as business or pleasure swayed them. Señor Lopez was a travelling man, and when he was away upon his trips his wife took occasion to visit relatives. Their place was sometimes taken by transients whose coming would cause a ripple in the otherwise quiet household, and so the days went on till March brought the first encouraging word from Mr. Garriguez.
"Your son has gone to England," came the information. "I have spoken to one who saw him go. I have asked this person to call upon you and tell you all he knows. His name is Tito Alvarez."
The next day the stout maid brought up word that one calling himself Tito Alvarez desired to see the Doña Catalina Beltrán. Would she descend to the sala or should he be brought up.
"I will go down," decided Mrs. Beltrán, "unless there are others in the sala."
"There are no others," she was informed, "and Doña Carmen will not permit intruders."
So down mother and daughter went to see a tall, awkward young workman awaiting them in much embarrassment. He had expected the mother and sister of his former comrade to be of his own class, and he knew not how to meet them. Mrs. Beltrán, however, soon put him at his ease, made him sit down, and began her interrogations. He was not a Catalan, he said, and this was evident enough by his speech. Perhaps that is why he and Pepé were friendly. Both were from the country, were paisanos who had worked in the fields and had experiences in common.
"Had you known my son long?" inquired Mrs. Beltrán.