"There they need no sunshine bright, In the city four-square, For the Lamb is all the light, And there is no night there."
"God shall wipe away all tears; There's no death, no pain, nor fears; And they count not time by years, For there is no night there."
The sweet sounds died away, and Paula looked smilingly at Catalina as if asking her opinion of the song.
"What a marvelous song!" exclaimed the poor sick girl. "And, Paula, you have a voice like an angel!"
I did not hear my little companion's reply. This time I was not mistaken; there was someone there behind that door. Impelled by curiosity I ran to open it At first I saw no one in the darkened passage, but finally I could make out my father moving off down the hall. When he saw that I had discovered him, he stopped and put a finger to his lips, and made signs to me to keep silent, but in my surprise I cried, "Is it you, father?"
"Yes," he answered, "I came home earlier than I expected. Was that Paula who was singing in Catalina's room?"
"I--I--don't know," I hesitated, not knowing what to say.
There was an instant of terrible silence like a calm before the storm.
"You--don't--know," my father slowly repeated. "You dare to look at me and say you don't know when you have just this moment come out of your sister's room?"
"Oh, father, please forgive me," I exclaimed penitently. "It was indeed Paula that sang. But don't punish her. She didn't know that you had forbidden our singing hymns."
"Who said I was going to punish her?" my father questioned. And I could see that his anger had cooled. "Come here!"
Taking me by the hand, we went back together to my sister's room.
"Would it tire you, Catalina, to hear Paula sing again?" he asked.
"Why, no, father," Catalina answered, surprised.
"Then, Paula," said my father, "sing again that same song."
And once more we heard, "There's no night there."
"Who taught you to sing?" my father asked.
"I think it was my father. But in our valley, everybody sings. On the roads, climbing the hills, caring for the animals, in the meetings; in fact, everywhere."
Catalina looked at my father furtively, and noticed that his face remained serene, almost tender, and so she hastened to profit by the occasion.