They　went　very　quietly　up…stairs。　　The　Senora　was　anticipating
  the　interview　she　expected　with　Rachela；　and；　perhaps　wisely；
  she　isolated　herself　in　an　atmosphere　of　sullen　and　haughty
  silence。　　She　would　accept　nothing　from　her；　not　even　sympathy
  or　flattery；　and；　in　a　curt　dismission；　managed　to　make　her
  feel　the　immeasurable　distance　between　a　high…born　lady　of　the
  house　of　Flores；　and　a　poor　manola　that　she　had　taken　from
  the　streets　of　Madrid。　　Rachela　knew　the　Senora　was　thinking
  of　this　circumstance；　the　thought　was　in　her　voice；　and　it
  cowed　and　snubbed　the　woman；　her　nature　being　essentially　as
  low　as　her　birth。
  As　for　the　Senora；　the　experience　did　her　a　world　of　good。
  She　waited　upon　herself　as　a　princess　might　condescend　to
  minister　to　her　own　wantsloftily；　with　a　smile　at　her
  own　complaisance。　　The　very　knowledge　that　her　husband　was
  near　at　hand　inspired　her　with　courage。　　She　went　to　sleep
  assuring　herself　〃that　not　even　Fray　Ignatius　should　again
  speak　evil　of　her　beloved；　who　never　thought　of　her　except
  with　a　loyal　affection。〃　　For　in　married　life；　the　wife　can
  sin　against　love　as　well　as　fidelity；　and　she　thought　with　a
  sob　of　the　cowardice　which　had　permitted　Fray　Ignatius　to　call
  her　dear　one　〃rebel　and　heretic。〃
  〃Santa　Dios！〃　she　said　in　a　passionate　whisper；　〃it　is　not　a
  mortal　sin　to　think　differently　from　Santa　Anna〃and　then
  more　tenderly〃those　who　love　each　other　are　of　the　same
  faith。〃
  And　if　Fray　Ignatius　had　seen　at　that　moment　the　savage
  whiteness　of　her　small　teeth　behind　the　petulant　pout　of　her
  parted　lips；　he　might　have　understood　that　this　woman　of　small
  intelligence　had　also　the　unreasoning　partisanship　and　the
  implacable　sense　of　anger　which　generally　accompanies　small
  intelligence；　and　which　indicates　a　nature　governed　by
  feeling；　and　utterly　irresponsive　to　reasoning　which　feeling
  does　not　endorse。
  CHAPTER　VIII。
  MOTHER　AND　PRIEST。
  。　　　。　　　。　　　。　　　〃witness；
  When　the　dark…stoled　priestly　crew；
  Came　swift　trooping　where　the　trumpet
  Of　foul　Santa　Anna　blew。〃
  *　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*
  〃Rouse　thee；　Wrath；　and　be　a　giant；
  People's　Will；　that　hath　been　pliant；
  Long；　too　long；
  Up；　and　snap　the　rusty　chaining；
  Brittle　bond　for　thy　restraining；
  Know　the　hour；　the　weak　are　reigning
  Thou　art　strong。
  *　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*　　　*
  〃Rise　and　right　the　wrongs　of　ages；
  Balance　Time's　unequal　pages
  With　the　sword。〃
  It　was　nearly　two　o'clock　when　Don　Luis　mounted　his　horse　and
  left　the　Worth　residencia。　　The　storm　still　raged；　the　night
  was　dark；　the　cold　intense；　but　the　home　of　Lopez　Navarro　was
  scarce　a　quarter　of　a　mile　away；　and　he　found　him　waiting　his
  return。
  〃You　have　still　an　hour；　Luis。　　Come　in　and　sit　with　me。〃
  〃As　you　say；　and　I　wish　to　show　you　that　I　am　capable　of　a
  great　thing。　　You　do　not　believe　me？　　Well；　then　give　me　again
  my　own　clothes。　　I　will　resign　these。〃
  〃You　are　most　welcome　to　them；　Luis。〃
  〃But　no；　I　am　in　earnest。　　The　fight　is　at　handthey　are　too
  fine。〃
  〃Yes；　but　I　will　tell　youI　can　say　anything　to　youthere　is
  to　be　a　grand　day　for　freedom；　well；　then；　for　a　festa　one
  puts　on　the　best　that　is　to　be　got。　　I　will　even　lend　you　my
  Cross　of　Saint　James；　if　you　wish。　　A　young　hero　should　be
  dressed　like　a　hero。　　Honor　my　poor　clothes　so　far　as　to　wear
  them　in　the　fight。〃
  〃Thank　you；　Lopez。　　I　will　not　disgrace　them〃；　and　he　bent
  forward　and　looked　into　his　friend's　eyes。　　His　glance
  prolonged　his　wordswent　further　than　speechwent　where
  speech　could　not　reach。
  〃Listen　to　me；　Luis。　　As　a　matter　of　precision；　where　now　are
  the　Americans？〃
  〃At　the　mission　of　Espada。〃
  〃La　Espada？the　swordthe　name　is　ominous。〃
  〃Of　success；　Lopez。〃
  〃Is　Houston；　then；　with　you？〃
  〃Until　a　few　days　ago。　　He　and　General　Austin　have　gone　to　San
  Felipe。〃
  〃For　what？　　Is　not　San　Antonio　the　most　important　point？〃
  〃It　was　decided　by　the　vote　of　the　army　to　send　them　there　to
  frame　a　provisional　government。　　There　are　plenty　of　fighters
  with　us；　but　not　one　statesman　but　Houston。　　And　now　it　is
  necessary　that　we　should　have　legal　authority　to　obtain　loans；
  maintain　the　army　in　the　field；　and　many　other　such　things
  vital　to　our　cause。　　Austin　is　to　go　to　the　United　States。　　He
  will　bring　back　men　and　money。　　Houston　must　draw　up　our
  declaration　and　manifestoes；　direct　the　civil　government；
  forward　troops；　and；　in　fact；　set　a　new　government　in　motion。〃
  〃He　is　the　loadstone　in　the　bosom！＇2＇　　I　wonder　that　the
  Americans　permitted　that　he　should　leave　them。〃
  ＇2＇　The　loadstone　in　the　bosom　is　a　charm　against　evil；　the
  bringer　of　good　fortune。
  〃He；　and　he　only；　was　the　man　to　go。　　Ere　he　left；　he　said
  some　strange　words。　　I　shall　not；　as　a　Mexican；　forget　them。
  In　the　midst　of　the　men　he　stood　like　a　god；　with　his
  great　stature；　and　his　bright；　strong　face。　　One　cannot　think
  of　him　as　of　a　common　mortal。　　Indeed；　I　will　confess　that　I
  could　only　compare　him　with　the　Efreet　in　the　Arabian　tale；
  ‘whose　nostrils　were　like　trumpets；　his　eyes　like　lamps；　and
  who　had　dishevelled；　dust　colored　hair'〃
  〃But；　to　proceed；　what　were　the　strange　words？〃
  〃Thus　he　spoke；　and　his　voice　rang　out　like　a　clarion：
  〃‘You　will　fight　as　men　fight　for　their　homes；　and　their
  wives；　and　their　children；　but　alsoremember　thisthe　idea
  of　Texas　is　in　the　American　heart！　　Two　generations　they　have
  carried　it　there！　　It　is　your　destiny　to　make　the　idea　a　fact！
  As　far　back　as　eighteen　nineteen；　Adams　wanted　Texas。　　When
  Adams　became　president；　he　told　Poinsett　to　offer　Mexico　a
  million　of　dollars　for　Texas。　　Clay　would　have　voted　three
  millions。　　Van　Buren；　in　eighteen　twenty…nine；　told　Poinsett
  to　offer　five　millions　for　Texas。　　I　went　to　Washington　that
  year；　and　proposed　to　revolutionize　Texas。　　I　declare　to　you
  that　the　highest　men　in　the　land　were　of　my　mind。　　Only
  last　July　President　Jackson　offered　an　additional　half　million
  dollars　for　the　Rio　Grande　boundary；　and　Mr。　Secretary　Forsyth
  said；　justly　or　unjustly；　by　hook；　or　by　crook；　Texas　must
  become　part　of　our　country。　　We　have　been　longing　for　it　for
  fifty　years！　　Now；　then；　brothers…in…arms！'　he　cried；　‘You　are
  here　for　your　homes　and　your　freedom；　but；　more　than　that；　you
  are　here　for　your　country！'　　Remember　the　thousands　of
  Americans　who　have　slipped　out　of　history　and　out　of　memory；
  who　have　bought　this　land　with　their　blood！　　We　have　held　a
  grip　on　Texas　for　fifty　years。　　By　the　soul　of　every　American
  who　has　perished　here；　I　charge　you；　No　Surrender！'
  〃You　should　have　heard　the　shout　that　answered　the　charge。
  Jesu；　Maria！　　It　made　my　heart　leap　to　my　bosom。　　And　ever
  since；　the　two　words　have　filled　the　air。　　You　could　see　men
  catching　them　on　their　lips。　　They　are　in　their　eyes；　and
  their　walk。　　Their　hands　say　them。　　The　up…toss　of　their　heads
  says　them。　　When　they　go　into　battle　they　will　see　Houston　in
  front　of　them；　and　hear　him　call　back　‘No　surrender！'　　Mexico
  cannot　hold　Texas　against　such　a　determined　purpose；
  carried　out　by　such　determined　men。〃
  Lopez　did　not　answer。　　He　was　a　melancholy；　well…read　man；　who
  had　travelled；　and　to　whom　the　idea　of　liberty　was　a　passion。
  But　the　feeling　of　race　was　also　strong　in　him；　and　he　could
  not　help　regretting　that　liberty　must　come　to　Texas　through　an
  alien　people〃heretics；　too〃he　muttered；　carrying　the
  thought　out　aloud。　　It　brought　others　equally　living　to　him；
  and　he　asked；　〃Where；　then；　is　Doctor　Worth？〃
  〃At　Espada。　　The　army　wished　him　to　go　to　San　Felipe　with
  Houston；　but　he　declined。　　And　we　want　him　most　of　all；　both
  as　a　fighter　and　a　physician。　　His　son　Thomas　went　in　his
  place。〃
  〃I　know　not　Thomas。〃
  〃Indeed；　very　few　know　him。　　He　is　one　that　seldom　speaks。
  But　his　rifle　has　its　word　always　ready。〃
  〃And　Jack？〃
  〃Jack　also　went　to　San　Felipe。　　He　is　to　bring　back　the　first
  despatches。　　Jack　is　the　darling　of　the　camp。　　Ah；　what　a
  happy　soul　he　has！　　One　would　think　that　it　had　just　come　from
  heaven；　or　was　just　going　there。〃
  〃Did　you　see　Senorita　Antonia　to…night？〃
  〃Si！　　She　is　a　blessing　to　the　eyesight。　　So　brave　a　young
  girl；　so　sweet；　so　wise；　she　is　a　miracle！　　If　I　loved　not
  Isabel　with　my　whole　soul；　I　would　kneel　at　Antonia's　feet。〃
  〃That　is　where　I　also　would　kneel。〃
  〃Hark！　how　the　wind　roars；　and　how　the　rain　thrashes　the
  house！　　But　our　men　have　the　shelter　of　one　of　the　Panchos。
  You　should　have　heard　the　padre　threaten　them　with　the　anger
  of　heaven　and　hell　and　General　Cos。　　Good…bye；　Lopez。　　I　have
  stayed　my　last　moment　now。〃
  〃Your　horse　has　been　well　fed。　　Listen；　he　is　neighing　for
  you；　to　Doctor　Worth　give　my　honorable　regards。　　Is　Senor
  Parades　with　you？　and　Perez　Mexia？　　Say　to　them　I　keep　the　vow
  I　made　in　their　behalf。　　Farewell；　Luis！〃　and　Luis；　who　had
  been　mounting　as　his　friend　talked；　stooped　from　his　saddle
  and　kissed　him。
  It　was　just　dawn　when　he　reached　camp；　and　he　found　Doctor
  Worth　waiting　his　arrival。　　Fortunately　there　was　nothing　but
  good　news　for　the　doctor