The woman moved as if in a cloud. Mechanically she descended the stairs and left the house, her hand tightly clasped by Carmen. Dully she suffered herself to be led hurriedly to the river. A boat, up-bound, was just docking. The captain stood leaning over the rail and shouting his commands. Ana recognized him. It was Captain Julio.
“Loado sea Dios!” murmured the weeping woman, hurrying up the gang plank with the child. She hastened past the astonished passengers to the captain and drew him to one side.
“The child––” she gasped, “Rosendo Ariza’s––of Simití––leave her at Badillo––they will take her over––”
“Wait, señora,” interrupted the captain tenderly. “Is it not time for you to go home, too?” He laid a hand on her shoulder and looked down into her streaming eyes. “Come,” he said quietly. And, leading them down the deck, he opened the door of a vacant cabin and bade them enter. “You can tell me your story when we are under way,” he said, smiling as he closed the door. “Bien,” he muttered, his brow clouding as he strode off. “I have been looking for this for some time. But––the child––Ariza’s––ah, the priest Diego! I think I see––Caramba! But we will not tarry long here!”
A few minutes later the big boat, her two long funnels vomiting torrents of smoke and sparks, thrust her huge wheel into the thick waters and, swinging slowly out into mid-stream, turned her flat nose toward the distant falls of Tequendama. In one of her aft cabins a woman lay on a cot, weeping hysterically. Over her bent a girl, with a face such as the masters have sought in vain. The tenderly whispered words might have been the lingering echo of those voiced in the little moonlit death-chamber of Cartagena long agone.
“Anita dear, He is with us, right here. And His arms are wide open. And He says, ‘Anita, come!’”
CHAPTER 26
“But, Padre dear, why are you so surprised that Padre Diego did not hurt me? I would have been much more surprised if he had. You are always so astonished when evil doesn’t happen––don’t you ever look for good? Why, I don’t ever look for anything else! How could I when I know that God is everywhere?”