great and splendid。 They were in full dress； and the golden…
pinned mantillas and the sea of waving fans were a sight
indeed。 Oh； the fans alone！ So many colors； great crescents；
growing and waning with far more enchantments than the moons。
Their rustle and movement has a wonderful charm； Senorita
Isabel； no one can imagine it。
〃Oh； I assure you； Senor； I can see and feel it。 But to be
there！ That； indeed； would make me perfectly happy。〃
〃Had you been there to…day you would have admired； above all
things； the feat of the matadore Jarocho。 It was upon the
great bull Sandovala very monster； I assure you。 He came
bellowing at Jarocho； as if he meant his instant death。 His
eyeballs were living fire； his nostrils steamed with fury；
well； then； at the precise moment； Jarocho put his slippered
feet between his horns； and vaulted； light as a bird flies；
over his back。 Then Sandoval turned to him again。 Well； he
calmly waited for his approach； and his long sword met him
between the horns。 As lightly as a lady touches her cavalier；
he seemed to touch Sandoval； but the brute fell like a stone
at his feet。 What a storm of vivas！ What clapping of hands
and shouts of ‘valiente！' And the ladies flung their flowers；
and the men flung their hats into the arena； and Jarocho
stepped proudly enough on them； I can tell you； though he was
watching the door for the next bull。〃
〃Ah； Senor； why will men fight each other； when it is so much
more grand and interesting to fight bulls？〃
〃Senorita Isabel； if you could only convince them of
that！ But then； it is not always interesting to the matadore；
for instance； it is only by the mercy of God and the skill of
an Americano that Jarocho is at this moment out of purgatory。〃
The Senora raised herself from among the satin pillows of her
sofa； and asked； excitedly； 〃Was there then some accident；
Senor？ Is Jarocho wounded？ Poor Jarocho！〃
〃Not a hair of his head is hurt； Senora。 I will tell you。
Saint Jago； who followed Sandoval； was a little devil。 He was
light and quick； and had intelligence。 You could see by the
gleam in his eyes that he took in the whole scene； and
considered not only the people in the ring； but the people in
the amphitheatre also； to be his tormentors。 Perhaps in that
reflection he was not mistaken。 He meant mischief from the
beginning； and he pressed Jarocho so close that he leaped the
barrier for safety。 As he leaped； Saint Jago leaped also。
Imagine now the terror of the spectators！ The screams！ The
rush！ The lowered horns within an inch of Jarocho； and Fray
Joseph Maria running with the consecrated wafer to the doomed
man！ At that precise moment there was a rifle…shot； and
the bellowing brute rolled backward into the arenadead。〃
〃Oh； Maria Purissima！ How grand！ In such moments one really
lives； Senor。 And but for this absurd rebellion I and my
daughters could have had the emotion。 It is indeed cruel。〃
〃You said the shot was fired by an American？〃
〃Senorita Antonia； it was； indeed。 I saw him。 He was in the
last row。 He had stood up when Saint Jago came in； and he was
watching the man and the animal with his soul in his eyes。 He
had a face； fine and thin as a woman'sa very gentle face；
also。 But at one instant it became stern and fierce；
the lips hard set； the eyes half shut； then the rifle at the
shoulder like a flash of light； and the bull was dead between
the beginning and the end of the leap！ The sight was
wonderful； and the ladies turned to him with smiles and cries
of thankfulness； and the better part of the men bowed to him；
for the Mexican gentleman is always just to a great deed。 But
he went away as if he had done something that displeased
himself； and when I overtook him at the gates of the
Alamo； he did not look as if he wished to talk about it。
〃However； I could not refrain myself； and I said： 〃Permit me；
Colonel Crockett； to honor you。 The great feat of to…day's
fight was yours。 San Antonio owes you for her favorite
Jarocho。〃
〃‘I saved a life； young man；' he answered and I took a life；
and I'll be blamed if I know whether I did right or wrong。'
‘Jarocho would have been killed but for your shot。' ‘That's
so； and I killed the bull； but you can take my hat if I don't
think I killed the tallest brute of the two。 Adjourn the
subject； sir'； and with that he walked off into the fort； and
I did myself the pleasure of coming to see you； Senora。〃
He rose and bowed to the ladies； and； as the Senora was making
some polite answer； the door of the room opened quickly； and
a man entered and advanced towards her。 Every eye was turned
on him； but ere a word could be uttered he was kneeling at the
Senora's side； and had taken her face in his hands； and was
kissing it。 In the dim light she knew him at once； and she
cried out： 〃My Thomas！ My Thomas！ My dear son！ For
three years I have not seen you。〃
He brought into the room with him an atmosphere of comfort and
strength。 Suddenly all fear and anxiety was lifted； and in
Antonia's heart the reaction was so great that she sank into
a chair and began to cry like a child。 Her brother held her
in his arms and soothed her with the promise of his presence
and help。 Then he said； cheerfully：
〃Let me have some supper； Antonia。 I am as hungry as a lobos
wolf； and run away； Isabel； and help your sister； for I
declare to you girls I shall eat everything in the house。〃
The homely duty was precisely what was needed to bring every
one's feelings to their normal condition； and Thomas Worth sat
chatting with his mother and Lopez of his father； and Jack；
and Dare； and Luis； and the superficial events of the time；
with that pleasant； matter…of…course manner which is by far
the most effectual soother of troubled and unusual conditions。
In less than half an hour Antonia called her brother； and he
and Lopez entered the dining…room together。 They came in
as brothers might come； face answering face with sympathetic
change and swiftness； but Antonia could not but notice the
difference in the two men。 Lopez was dressed in a suit of
black velvet； trimmed with many small silver buttons。 His
sash was of crimson silk。 His linen was richly embroidered；
and his wide hat was almost covered with black velvet； and
adorned with silver tags。 It was a dress that set off
admirably his dark intelligent face。
Thomas Worth wore the usual frontier costume； a dark flannel
shirt； a wide leather belt； buck…skin breeches； and leather
boots covering his knees。 He was very like his father in
figure and facedarker； perhaps； and less handsome。 But the
gentleness and strength of his personal appearance attracted
every one first； and invested all traits with their own
distinctive charm。
And； oh！ What a change was there in the the｛sic｝ Senora's
room。 The poor lady cried a little for joy； and then went to
sleep like a wearied child。 Isabel and Antonia were too happy
to sleep。 They sat half through the night； talking softly of
the danger they had been in。 Now that Thomas had come；
they could say HAD。 For he was a very Great…heart to them；
and they could even contemplate the expected visit of Fray
Ignatius without fear； yes； indeed； with something very like
satisfaction。
CHAPTER XIII。
THE ARRIVAL OF SANTA ANNA。
〃What thing thou doest； bravely do；
When Heaven's clear call hath found thee；
Followwith fervid wheels pursue；
Though thousands bray around thee。〃
〃Mounted upon a hot and fiery steed；
Which his aspiring rider seemed to know；
With slow but stately pace kept on his course；
You would have thought the very windows spoke；
So many greedy looks of young and old；
Through casements darted their desiring eyes
Upon his visage。〃
Left to themselves； the two men threw off like a mask the
aspect of cheerfulness they had worn in the presence of the
Senora。 Thomas Worth ate heartily； for he had been without
food since morning； but Navarro did not attempt to join his
meal。 He sat patiently waiting his sombre eyes fixed upon the
mental visions which circled in the enchanted incense of his
cigarette。
Presently Thomas Worth turned toward the hearth； pushed the
cedar logs on it to a focus； and at their leaping
blaze lighted the pipe which he took from his pocket。
〃Lopez；〃 he said； 〃it strikes me that I am just in time to
prevent some infamous plan of Fray Ignatius and my uncle
Gonzaga。〃
〃I should not have lost sight of the Senora and your sisters。
I have watched them faithfully； though for many good reasons
it has been best to appear indifferent。 Will you now remain
in San Antonio？〃
〃I have come with orders to Travis to blow up the Alamo； and
fall back upon Houston； who is at Gonzales。 But I do not
think the men will permit him to do so。〃
〃You have too many leaders。 Also； they undervalue the Mexican
soldiers。 I assure you they do。 They fought Spain for ten
years； they do not want； then； the persistence of true valor。
The Americans may die in the Alamo； but they cannot hold it
against the thousands Santa Anna will bring with him。〃