But there were times when fish were scarce in the lake. Then the crocodiles became bold; and many babes had been seized and dragged off by them, never to return. The fishing this season had been very poor. And more than one fisherman had asked Josè to invoke the Virgin in his behalf. Nearer crept the monster toward the unsuspecting girl. Suddenly she turned and looked squarely at it. She might almost have touched it with her hand. For Josè it was one of those crises that "crowd eternity into an hour." The child and the reptile might have been painted against that wondrous tropic background. The great brute stood bolt upright on its squat legs, its hideous jaws partly open. The girl made no motion, but seemed to hold it with her steady gaze. Then--the creature dropped; its jaws snapped shut; and it scampered into the water. "God above!" cried Josè, as he rushed to the girl and clasped her in his arms. "Forgive me if I ever doubted the miracles of Jesus!" Doña Maria turned and quietly resumed her work; but the man was completely unstrung. "What is it, Padre?" Carmen asked in unfeigned surprise. "I am not afraid of crocodiles--are you? You couldn't be, if you knew that God is everywhere." "But don't you know, child, that crocodiles have carried off--" He checked himself. No--he would not say it. He had had his lesson. "What, Padre?" "Nothing--nothing--I forgot--that's all. A--a--come, let us begin our lessons now." But his mind refused to be held to the work. Finally he had to ask--he could not help it. "Carmen, what did you do? Did you talk to the crocodile?" "Why, no, Padre--crocodiles don't talk!" And throwing her little head back she laughed heartily at the absurd idea. "But--you did something! What was it? Tell me." "No, Padre, I did nothing," the child persisted. He saw he must reach her thought in another way. "Why did the crocodile come up to you, Carmen?" he asked. "Why--I guess because it loved me--I don't know." "And did you love it as you sat looking at it?" "Of course, Padre. We have just got to love _everything_. Don't you know that?" "Y--yes--that is so, _chiquita_. I--I just thought I would ask you. Now let us begin the arithmetic lesson." The child loved the hideous saurian! And "perfect love casteth out fear." What turned the monster from the girl and drove it into the lake? Love, again, before which evil falls in sheer impotence? Had she worked a miracle? Certainly not! Had God interposed in her behalf? Again, no. "He that dwelleth in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty." And would divine Love always protect her? There could be no question about it, _as long as she knew no evil_.