One　troubled　glance　of　a　great　love　he　cast　backward　from　the
  door　ere　he　closed　it　behind　him；　and　then　his　countenance
  suddenly　changed。　　Stern　and　strong　it　grew；　with　a　glow　of
  anger　in　the　steel…blue　eyes　that　gave　an　entirely　new
  character　to　it。
  He　called　Antonia　into　his　study；　and　talked　with　her　of
  the　crisis　which　was　approaching；　and　of　the　conduct　of　their
  affairs　in　it。　　He　showed　her　the　places　in　which　his　gold
  coin　was　hidden。　　He　told　her　on　whom　to　rely　in　any
  emergency。
  〃We　have　sure　information　that　General　Urrea；　with　the
  vanguard　of　a　large　Mexican　army；　will　be　here　next　month。
  Santa　Anna　will　follow　him　quickly。　　You　see　that　the　city
  must　either　be　defended　or　our　men　must　retreat。　　I　am　going
  to　Houston　with　this　dilemma。　　Luis　and　Dare　will　join　Fannin
  at　Goliad。　　Now；　my　dear　child；　you　have　my　place　to　fill。　　If
  Santa　Anna　takes　possession　of　San　Antonio；　what　will　you　do？〃
  〃If　we　are　not　disturbed　in　any　way；　I　will　keep　very　quiet
  within　my　own　home。〃
  〃If　Fray　Ignatius　attempts　to　interfere　with　youwhat　then？〃
  〃I　will　fly　from　him；　and　take　Isabel　and　mi　madre　with　me。〃
  〃That　is　your　only　safety。　　I　shall　hear　if　the　Americans
  desert　the　city；　then　I　will　send　your　brother　Thomas；　if　by
  any　possibility　it　can　be　done；　to　guard　you　to　the　eastern
  settlements。　　But　I　may　not　be　able　to　do　thisthere　may
  be　no　timeit　cannot　be　depended　uponLopez　Navarro　will
  help　you　all　he　can；　and　Ortiz。　　You　may　always　rely　on
  Ortiz。〃
  〃My　father；　I　cannot　trust　Ortiz。　　Every　man　is　a　master　to　a
  peon。　　He　would　mean　to　do　kindly；　but　his　cowardice　might
  make　him　false。〃
  〃Ortiz　is　no　peon。　　He　is　a　Mexican　officer　of　high　rank；　whom
  Santa　Anna　ordered　to　be　shot。　　I　saved　his　life。　　He　wears
  the　clothes　of　a　peonthat　is　necessary；　but　he　has　the　honor
  and　gratitude　of　a　gentleman　beneath　them。　　If　necessary；
  trust　Ortiz　fully。　　One　thing　above　all　others　remember
  FLIGHT　before　a　convent。〃
  〃Flight！　　Yes；　death　before　it！　　I　promise　you；　father。　　When
  we　meet　again；　you　shall　say；　well　done；　Antonia。〃
  It　was　now　about　midnight。　　They　went　back　to　the　parlor。
  Luis　and　Dare　sat　by　the　dying　fire。　　They　were　bent　forward；
  close　together　over　it；　talking　in　a　low　voice。　　They　rose
  when　the　doctor　spoke；　and　silently　kissed　Antonia。
  〃It　will　be　a　hard　ride；　now；〃　said　the　doctor；〃　and　Dare
  answered；　mechanically；　〃but　we　shall　manage　it。〃　　He
  held　Antonia's　hand；　and　she　went　with　them　to　the　rear　of　the
  house。　　Their　horses　were　standing　ready　saddled。　　　Silently
  the　men　mounted。　　In　a　moment　they　had　passed　the　gate；　and
  the　beat　of　their　horses'　hoofs　gradually　died　away。
  But　all　through　the　clear　spaces　of　the　sky　the　Christmas
  bells　were　ringing；　and　the　serenaders　were　musically　telling
  each　other；
  〃At　twelve　will　the　Child　be　born！〃
  CHAPTER　　XII。
  DANGER　AND　HELP。
  〃A　curious　creed　they　weave；
  And；　for　the　Church　commands　it；
  All　men　must　needs　believe；
  Though　no　man　understands　it。
  God　loves　his　few　pet　lambs；
  And　saves　his　one　pet　nation；
  The　rest　he　largely　damns；
  With　swinging　reprobation。〃
  〃The　Church　may　loose　and　bind；
  But　Mind；　immortal　Mind；
  As　free　as　wave　or　wind；
  Came　forth；　O　God；　from　Thee。〃
  BLACKIE。
  Dr。　Worth　had　set　his　daughter　a　task　of　no　light　magnitude。
  It　was　true；　that　Rachela　and　Fray　Ignatius　could　no　longer
  disturb　the　household　by　their　actual　presence；　but　their
  power　to　cause　unhappiness　was　not　destroyed。　　Among　the
  Mexican　families　loyal　to　Santa　Anna　the　dismission　of　the
  priest　and　the　duenna　had　been　a　source　of　much　indignant
  gossip；　for　Rachela　was　one　of　those　women　who　cry
  out　when　they　are　hurt；　and　compel　others　to　share　their
  trouble。　　The　priest　had　not　therefore　found　it　necessary　to
  explain　WHY　the　Senora　had　called　upon　a　new　confessor。　　He
  could　be　silent；　and　possess　his　dignity　in　uncomplaining
  patience；　for　Rachela　paraded　his　wrongs　as　a　kind　of　set…off
  to　her　own。
  Such　piety！　　Such　virtues！　　And　the　outrageous　conduct　of
  the　Senor　Doctor！　　To　be　sure　there　was　cause　for　anger　at　the
  Senorita　Antonia。　　Oh；　yes！　　She　could　crow　her　mind　abroad！
  There　were　booksOh；　infamous　books！　　Books　not　proper　to　be
  read；　and　the　Senorita　had　them！　　Well　then；　if　the　father
  burned　them；　that　was　a　good　deed　done。　　And　he　had　almost
  been　reviled　for　itsent　out　of　the　houseyes；　it　was　quite
  possible　that　he　had　been　struck！　　Anything　was　possible　from
  those　American　heretics。　　As　for　her　own　treatment；　after
  twenty　years　service；　it　had　been　cruel；　abominable；　more　than
  thatiniquitous；　but　about　these　things　she　had　spoken；　and
  the　day　of　atonement　would　come。　　Justice　was　informing　itself
  on　the　whole　matter。
  Such　conversations　continually　diversified；　extended；　repeated
  on　all　hands；　quickly　aroused　a　prejudice　against　the　doctor's
  family。　　Besides　which；　the　Senora　Alveda　resented　bitterly
  the　visits　of　her　son　Luis　to　Isabel。　　None　of　the　customs　of
  a　Mexican　betrothal　had　taken　place；　and　Rachela　did　not　spare
  her　imagination　in　describing　the　scandalous　American
  familiarity　that　had　been　permitted。　　That；　this　familiarity
  had　taken　place　under　the　eyes　of　the　doctor　and　the　Senora
  only　intensified　the　insult。　　She　might　have　forgiven
  clandestine　meetings；　but　that　the　formalities　due　to　the
  Church　and　herself　should　have　been　neglected　was　indeed
  unpardonable。
  It　soon　became　evident　to　the　Senora　that　she　had　lost　the
  good…will　of　her　old　friends；　and　the　respect　that　had　always
  been　given　to　her　social　position。　　It　was　difficult　for　her
  to　believe　this；　and　she　only　accepted　the　humiliating　fact
  after　a　variety　of　those　small　insults　which　women　reserve　for
  their　own　sex。
  She　was　fond　of　visiting；　she　valued　the　good　opinion　of　her
  caste；　and　in　the　very　chill　of　the　gravest　calamities　she
  worried　her　strength　away　over　little　grievances　lying
  outside　the　walls　of　her　home　and　the　real　affections　of　her
  life。　　And　perhaps　with　perfect　truth　she　asserted　that　SHE
  had　done　nothing　to　deserve　this　social　ostracism。　　Others　had
  made　her　miserable；　but　she　could　thank　the　saints　none　could
  make　her　guilty。
  The　defeat　of　Cos　had　been　taken　by　the　loyal　inhabitants　as
  a　mere　preliminary　to　the　real　fight。　　They　were　very　little
  disturbed　by　it。　　It　was　the　overt　act　which　was　necessary　to
  convince　Mexico　that　her　clemency　to　Americans　was　a　mistake；
  and　that　the　ungrateful　and　impious　race　must　be　wiped　out　of
  existence。　　The　newspapers　not　only　reiterated　this　necessity；
  but　proclaimed　its　certainty。　　They　heralded　the　coming　of
  Santa　Anna；　the　victorious　avenger；　with　passionate
  gasconading。　　It　was　a　mere　question　of　a　few　days　or　weeks；
  and　in　the　meantime　the　people　of　San　Antonio　were　〃making　a
  little　profit　and　pleasure　to　themselves　out　of　the
  extravagant　reprobates。〃　　There　was　not　a　day　in　which　they
  did　not　anticipate　their　revenge　in　local　military　displays；
  in　dances　and　illuminations；　in　bull…fights；　and　in
  splendid　religious　processions。
  And　Antonia　found　it　impossible　to　combat　this　influence。　　It
  was　in　the　house　as　certain　flavors　were　in　certain　foods；　or
  as　heat　was　in　fire。　　She　saw　it　in　the　faces　of　her　servants；
  and　felt　it　in　their　indifference　to　their　duty。　　Every　hour
  she　watched　more　anxiously　for　some　messenger　from　her　father。
  And　as　day　after　day　went　by　in　a　hopeless　sameness　of　grief；
  she　grew　more　restless　under　the　continual　small　trials　that
  encompassed　her。
  Towards　the　end　of　January；　General　Urrea；　at　the　head　of　the
  vanguard　of　the　Mexican　army；　entered　Texas。　　His　destination
  was　La　Bahia　or　Goliad；　a　strong　fortress　garrisoned　by
  Americans　under　Colonel　Fanning。　　Santa　Anna　was　to　leave　in
  eight　days　after　him。　　With　an　army　of　twenty　thousand　men　he
  was　coming　to　the　relief　of　San　Antonio。
  The　news　filled　the　city　with　the　wildest　rejoicing。　　The
  little　bells　of　the　processions；　the　big　bells　of　the
  churches；　the　firing　of　cannon；　the　hurrahs　of　the　tumultuous
  people；　made　an　uproar　which　reached　the　three　lonely
  women　through　the　closed　windows　of　their　rooms。
  〃If　only　Lopez　Navarro　would　come！　　If　he　would　send　us　some
  little　message！　　Holy　Mary；　even　he　has　forgotten　us！〃　cried
  the　Senora　in　a　paroxysm　of　upbraiding　sorrow。
  At　that　moment　the　door　opened；　and　Fray　Ignatius　passed　the
  threshold　with　lifted　hands　and　a　muttered　blessing。　　He
  approached　the　Senora；　and　she　fell　on　her　knees　and　kissed
  the　hand　with　which　he　crossed　her。
  〃Holy　father！〃　she　cried；　〃the　angels　sent　you　to　a　despairing
  woman。〃
  〃My　daughter；　I　have　guided　you　since　your　first　communion；
  how　then　could　I　forget　you？　　Your　husband　has　deserted　you
  you；　the　helpless；　tender　lamb；　whom　he　swore　to　cherish；　but
  the　blessed　fold　of　your　church　stands　open。　　Come；　poor　weary
  one；　to　its　shelter。〃
  〃My　father〃
  〃Listen　to　me！　　The　Mexican　troops　are　soon　to　arrive。
  Vengeance　without　mercy　is　to　be　dealt　out。　　You　are　the　wife
  of　an　American　rebel；　I　cannot　promise　you　your　life；　or　your
  h