Gustavo, a ship pilot, loves Carmen, a girl working at the reed plantation owned by Henrique. Carmen is faithful to him despite his long absences at sea, and Henrique's harassing and promises of love and money. The marriage announcement leads Henrique to extreme measures: he contracts thugs to give Gustavo a beating, a man is shot dead, and Gustavo is advised to run away, as evidence would lead to his arrest by the police. Carmen remains faithful to the fugitive - but as time goes by, and her letters to Gustavo remain unanswered (due to Henrique's meddling), for how long?