“It isn’t true that we can be separated,” she answered, looking at him with moist eyes.
“We?” he exclaimed.
“Yes, God’s children––people––people––who––love each other,” she replied. Then she dropped her eyes in evident embarrassment, and refused to discuss the topic further.
“Lord Harry!” ejaculated Harris, pondering the cryptical remark, “you surely are a queer little dud!”
But the girl turned from him to Rosendo. He understood her. Nor would she permit the old man to leave her until, late that night, exhausted by the excitement of the day, she dropped asleep in the house of Don Nicolás, on the muddy margin of the river Boque, still clinging to Rosendo’s hand.
Despite the protestations of Don Nicolás and the pleading of the cargadores, Rosendo stolidly refused to spend a day at Boque. Apprehension lashed him furiously on. They were still within reach of the federal authorities. He dared not rest until the jungle had swallowed them.
“Ah, compadre,” said Don Nicolás, in disappointment, “I would like much for you to enjoy my house while it is still clean. For the ants have visited me. Hombre! they swarmed down upon us but a day ago. They came out of the bush in millions, straight for the house. We fled. Caramba! had we remained, we should have been eaten alive. But they swept the house––Hombre! no human hands could have done so well. Every spider, every rat, beetle, flea, every plague, was instantly eaten, and within a half hour they had disappeared again, and we moved back into a thoroughly cleaned house!”
Harris stood with mouth agape in mute astonishment when 363 Carmen, whom he had constituted his interpreter, translated to him the story.
That evening, after they had eaten out in the open before the house, and the Americans had tickled the palates of the villagers with some tinned beef of uncertain quality, Don Nicolás approached Reed. “Señor,” he said, “my mother, now very aged, is sick, and we think she can not recover. But you Americanos are wonderfully skilled, and your medicines powerful. Have you not some remedy in your pack that will alleviate the good woman’s sufferings? They are severe, señor.”
Reed knew how great was the faith of these simple people in the wisdom of the American, and he had reason to wish to preserve it. But he had come into that country illy prepared to cope with disease, and his medical equipment contained nothing but quinine. He reflected a moment, then turned to Harris.