Ortiz undertook the commission； with a nod of understanding。
Then there remained nothing to be done but to listen and to
watch。 Fortunately； however； Rachela found the centre of
interest among the servants in the kitchen； and the Senora and
her daughter could converse without espionage。
Just after sunset a letter arrived from Navarro。 Rachela
lingered in the room to learn its contents。 But the Senora；
having read them； passed the letter to Antonia and Isabel； and
Rachela saw with anger that Antonia； having carefully
considered it； threw it into the fire。 And yet the news it
brought was not unfavorable：
〃SENORA MARIA FLORES WORTH：
〃I send this on December the fifth； in the year of our
Blessed Lord and Lady 1835。 It is my honor and pleasure to
tell you that the Americans； having performed miracles of
valor； reached the Plaza this afternoon。 Here the main body
of the Mexican troops received them； and there has been severe
fighting。 At sunset； the Mexicans retreated within the Alamo。
The Texans have taken possession of the Veramendi House； and
the portion of the city surrounding it。 There has been a
great slaughter of our poor countrymen。 I charge myself
whenever I pass the Plaza； to say a paternoster for the souls
who fell there。 Senora Maria Flores Worth； I kiss your hands。
I kiss also the hands of the Senorita Antonia； and the hands
of the Senorita Isabel； and I make haste to sign myself；
〃Your servant；
〃LOPEZ NAVARRO。〃
This little confidence between mother and daughters restored
the tone of feeling between them。 They had something to talk
of； personal and exclusive。 In the fear and uncertainty； they
forgot priestly interdiction and clung to each other with that
affection which is the strength of danger and the comforter of
sorrow。
On the following day the depression deepened。 The sounds
of battle were closer at hand。 The Mexican servants had an
air of insolence and triumph。 Antonia feared for the
evening's reportif indeed Navarro should be able to send
one。 She feared more when she saw the messenger early in the
afternoon。 〃Too early is often worse than too late。〃 The
proverb shivered upon her trembling lips as she took the
letter from him。 The three women read it together； with
sinking hearts：
〃SENORA MARIA FLORES WORTH：
〃This on the sixth of December； in the year of our Blessed
Lord and Lady 1835。 The brave； the illustrious Colonel Milam
is dead。 I watched him three hours in to…day's fight。 A man
so calm was inconceivable。 He was smiling when the ball
struck himwhen he fell。 The Texans； after his loss； retired
to their quarters。 This was at the hour of eleven。 At the
hour of one； the Mexicans made another sortie from the Alamo。
The Texans rushed to meet them with an incredible vengeance。
Their leader was General Burleson。 He showed himself to
General Cos in a sheet of flame。 Such men are not to be
fought。 General Cos was compelled to retire to the Alamo。
The battle is over for to…day。 On this earth the soul has but
a mortal sword。 The water in the river is red with
blood。 The Plaza is covered with the dead and the dying。 I
have the honor to tell you that these ‘miserables' are being
attended to by the noble； the charitable Senor Doctor Worth。
As I write； he is kneeling among them。 My soul adores his
humanity。 I humbly kiss your hands； Senora； and the hands of
your exalted daughters。
〃LOPEZ NAVARRO。
Until midnight this letter furnished the anxious； loving women
with an unceasing topic of interest。 The allusion to her
husband made the Senora weep。 She retired to her oratory and
poured out her love and her fears in holy salutations； in
thanksgivings and entreaties。
The next morning there was an ominous lull in the atmosphere。
As men run backward to take a longer leap forward； so both
armies were taking breath for a fiercer struggle。 In the
Worth residencia the suspense was becoming hourly harder to
endure。 The Senora and her daughters were hardly conscious of
the home life around them。 In that wonderful folk…speech
which so often touches foundation truths； they were not all
there。 Their nobler part had projected itself beyond its
limitations。 It was really in the struggle。 It mattered
little to them now whether food was cooked or not。 They
were neither hungry nor sleepy。 Existence was prayer and
expectation。
Just before sunset Antonia saw Don Lopez coming through the
garden。 The Senora； accompanied by her daughters； went to
meet him。 His face was perplexed and troubled：
〃General Cos has been joined by Ugartechea with three hundred
men；〃 he said。 〃You will see now that the fight will be still
more determined。〃
And before daylight broke on the morning of the 5th； the
Americans attacked the Alamo。 The black flag waved above
them； the city itself had the stillness of death； but for
hours the dull roar and the clamorous tumult went on without
cessation。 The Senora lay upon her bed motionless； with hands
tightly locked。 She had exhausted feeling； and was passive。
Antonia and Isabel wandered from window to window； hoping to
see some token which would indicate the course of events。
Nothing was visible but the ferocious flag flying out above
the desperate men fighting below it。 So black！ So cruel and
defiant it looked！ It seemed to darken and fill the
whole atmosphere around it。 And though the poor women
had not dared to whisper to each other what it said to them；
they knew in their own hearts that it meant； if the Americans
failed； the instant and brutal massacre of every prisoner。
The husband and father were under its inhuman shadow。 So most
probably were Darius Grant and Luis Alveda。 It was even
likely that Jack might have returned ere the fight； and was
with the besiegers。 Every time they went to the window； it
filled their hearts with horror。
In the middle of the afternoon it suddenly disappeared。
Antonia watched it breathlessly。 Several times before； it had
been dropped by some American rifle； but this time it was not
as speedily replaced。 In a few minutes she uttered a shrill
cry。 It was in a voice so strained； so piercing； so unlike
her own； that the Senora leaped from her bed。 Antonia turned
to meet her mother with white； parted lips。 She was
speechless with excess of feeling； but she pointed to the
Alamo。 The black flag was no longer there！ A white one was
flying in its place。
〃IT IS A SURRENDER！〃 gasped Antonia。 〃IT IS A SURRENDER！〃 and；
as if in response to her words； a mighty shout and a simultaneous
salute of rifles hailed the emblem of victory。
An hour afterwards a little Mexican boy came running with all
his speed。 He brought a few lines from Don Lopez。 They had
evidently been written in a great hurry； and on a piece of
paper torn from his pocket…book； but oh！ how welcome they
were。 The very lack of formality gave to them a certain hurry
of good fortune：
〃May you and yours be God's care for many years to come；
Senora！ The Mexicans have surrendered the Alamo； and asked
for quarter。 These noble…minded Americans have given it。 The
Senor Doctor will bring you good news。 I rejoice with you。
〃LOPEZ NAVARRO。〃
Death and captivity had been turned away from their home； and
the first impulse of these pious； simple…hearted women was a
prayer of thanksgiving。 Then Antonia remembered the
uncomfortable state of the household； and the probable
necessities of the men coming back from mortal strife and
the shadow of death。
She found that the news had already changed the domestic
atmosphere。 Every servant was attending to his duty。 Every
one professed a great joy in the expected arrival of the
Senor。 And what a happy impetus the hope gave to her own
hands！ How delightful it was to be once more arranging the
evening meal； and brightening the rooms with fire and light！
Soon after dark they heard the swing of the garden gate； the
tramp of rapid footsteps； and the high…pitched voices of
excited men。 The door was flung wide。 The Senora forgot that
it was cold。 She went with outstretched arms to meet her
husband。 Dare and Luis were with him。 They were black with
the smoke of battle。 Their clothing was torn and
bloodstained； the awful light of the fierce struggle was still
upon their faces。 But they walked like heroes； and the glory
of the deeds they had done crowned with its humanity； made
them appear to the women that loved them but a little lower
than the angels。
Doctor Worth held his wife close to his heart and kissed
her tears of joy away； and murmured upon her lips the
tenderest words a woman ever hearsthe words a man never
perfectly learns till he has loved his wife through a quarter
of a century of change； and sorrow； and anxiety。 And what
could Antonia give Dare but the embrace； the kiss； the sweet
whispers of love and pride； which were the spontaneous outcome
of both hearts？
There was a moment's hesitation on the part of Luis and
Isabel。 The traditions of caste and country； the social bonds
of centuries； held them。 But Isabel snapped them asun