At the first words the head of the gentle girl was laid on her brother's shoulder, and the confession, "I am so happy!" was whispered from her heart.
The answer almost came before the question; that was obvious.

Benito did not ask for more.
There could be little doubt as to Joam Garral's consent.

But if Yaquita and her children did not at once speak to him about the marriage, it was because they wished at the same time to touch on a question which might be more difficult to solve.

That question was, Where should the wedding take place?
Where should it be celebrated?
In the humble cottage which served for the village church?
Why not?
Joam and Yaquita had there received the nuptial benediction of the Padre Passanha, who was then the curate of Iquitos parish.

At that time, as now, there was no distinction in Brazil between the civil and religious acts, and the registers of the mission were sufficient testimony to a ceremony which no officer of the civil power was intrusted to attend to.
Joam Garral would probably wish the marriage to take place at Iquitos, with grand ceremonies and the attendance of the whole staff of the fazenda, but if such was to be his idea he would have to withstand a vigorous attack concerning it.
"Manoel," Minha said to her betrothed, "if I was consulted in the matter we should not be married here, but at Para.