cried in despair, "nothing but excommunication
can release me! And I long ago ceased to look for that. You do not
understand--you are young! What can I do?" His tortured soul pleaded
in agony.

"Why, Padre dear, you can work it out, all out, in God's way."

"But--must I remain here--can I let you go alone with the Americans--?"

"Yes, you can, if it is right," she answered gently.

"Carmen!" he cried, straining her in his arms. "If you go with the
Americans, I shall, I must, go too!"

"Not unless it is right, Padre," she insisted. "If it is right,
nothing can keep you from going. But, unless it is God's way--well,
you can not solve your problem by running away from it."

"But--child--to remain here means--God above! you don't realize what
it may mean to us both!"

The girl relapsed into silence. Jose began to feel that they were
drifting hopelessly, abysmally apart. Desperation seized him.

"Carmen!" he cried miserably. "I have been cheated and thwarted all my
wretched life! I can endure it no longer! I can not, would not, hold
you here, if the way opens for you to go! But--I can not remain here
without you--and live!"

"That is not true, Padre," replied the girl, slowly shaking her head.
"No human being is necessary to any one's happiness. And progress
always comes first. You are trying to 'acquire that mind which was in
Christ.' If you are really progressing, why, you will surely be happy.
But you must work it all out God's way."

"His way!" he retorted bitterly. "And that--"

"You must be honest, Padre, honest with Him and with everybody. If you
can no longer be a priest--if you are not one, and never have been
one--you must be honest with the Church and with yourself. You must
see and reflect only Truth. Why do you not write to the Bishop and
tell him all about it? You say you have been protecting me. But leave
me to God. You must--Padre, you _must_--be honest! Write to your
mother--write to the Bishop. Tell them both how you feel. Then leave
it all with God. Do not run away. Throw yourself upon Him. But--oh,
Padre dear, you must trust Him, and you must--you _must_--know that He
is good, that He is infinite, and that there is no evil! Otherwise,
the good can not be externalized. If you did that, your problem would
be quickly solved."

She rose and took his hand. "Padre dear," she continued, "God is
life--there is no death. God is eternal--there is no age. God is all
good--there is no poverty, no lack,