the independence of Texas。 They will also conquer Mexico。
There are kingdoms in the moon for them。 I envy such
exaltationsand regret them。 GRACE OF GOD； Senorita！ My
heart ached to see the crowds of bright young faces。 With a
Napoleonwith a Washington to lead themthey would do
miracles。〃
〃What say you to Houston？〃
〃I know him not。 At Goliad they are all Houstons。 They
believe each man in himself。 On the contrary； I wish that
each man looked to the same leader。〃
〃Do you know that Santa Anna is in San Antonio？〃
〃I felt it； though I had no certain news。 I came far around；
and hid myself from all passers…by； for the sake of the wagon
and the horses。 I have the happiness to say they are safe。
The wagon is within the enclosure； the horses are on the
prairie。 They have been well trained； and will come to my
call。 As for me； I will now go into the city； for there will
be much to see and to hear that may be important to us。
Senoritas； for all your desires； I am at your service。〃
When Ortiz was gone； Isabel had a little fret of
disappointment。 Luis might have found some messenger to bring
her a word of his love and life。 What was love worth that did
not annihilate impossibilities！ However； it consoled her a
little to carry Jack's letter to his mother。 The Senora had
taken her morning chocolate and fallen asleep。 When Isabel
awakened her； she opened her eyes with a sigh； and a look of
hopeless misery。 These pallid depressions attacked her most
cruelly in the morning； when the room； shabby and unfamiliar；
gave both her memory； and anticipation a shock。
But the sight of the letter flushed her face with expectation。
She took it with smiles。 She covered it with kisses。 When
she opened it； a curl from Jack's head fell on to her lap。
She pressed it to her heart； and then rose and laid it at the
feet of her Madonna。 〃She must share my joy；〃 she said with
a pathetic childishness； 〃she will understand it。〃 Then； with
her arm around Isabel； and the girl's head on his shoulder；
they read together Jack's loving words：
〃Mi madre； mi madre； you have Juan's heart in your heart。
Believe me； that in all this trouble I sorrow only for you。
When victory is won I shall fly to you。 Other young men have
other loves； I have only you； sweet mother。 There is always
the cry in my heart for the kiss I missed when I left you。 If
I could hold your hand to…night； if I could hear your voice；
if I could lay my head on your breast； I would say that the
Holy One had given me the best blessings He had in heaven。
Send to me a letter； madrea letter full of love and kisses。
Forgive Juan！ Think of this only： HE IS MY BOY！ If I
live； it is for you； who are the loveliest and dearest of
mothers。 If I die； I shall die with your name on my
lips。 I embrace you with my soul。 I kiss your hands； and
remember how often they have clasped mine。 I kiss your eyes；
your cheeks； your dear lips。 Mi madre； remember me！ In your
prayers； remember Juan！〃
With what tears and sobs was this loving letter read by all
the women； and the Senora finally laid it where she had laid
the precious curl that had come with it。 She wanted 〃the
Woman blessed among women〃 to share the mother joy and the
mother anguish in her heart。 Besides； she was a little
nervous about Jack's memento of himself。 Her superstitious
lore taught her that severed hair is a token of severed love。
She wished he had not sent it； and yet she could not bear to
have it out of her sight。
〃Gracias a Dios！〃 she kept ejaculating。 〃I have one child
that loves me； and me only。 I shall forgive Juan everything。
I shall not forgive Thomas many things。 But Juan！ oh！ it is
impossible not to love him entirely。 There is no one like him
in the world。 If the good God will only give him back to me；
I will say a prayer of thanks every day of my life long。
Oh； Juan！ Juan！ my boy！ my dear one！〃
Thus she talked to herself and her daughters continually。 She
wrote a letter full of motherly affection and loving
incoherencies； and if Jack had ever received it he would
doubtless have understood and kissed every word； and worn the
white messenger close to his heart。 But between writing
letters and sending them； there were in those days intervals
full of impossibilities。 Love then had to be taken on trust。
Rarely； indeed； could it send assurances of fidelity and
affection。
Jack's letter brightened the day； and formed a new topic of
conversation； until Ortiz returned in the evening。 His
disguise had enabled him to linger about the Plaza and monte
table； and to hear and observe all that was going on。
〃The city is enjoying itself； and making money；〃 he said； in
reply to question from the Senora。 〃Certainly the San
Antonians approve of liberty； but what would you do？ In Rome
one does not quarrel with the Pope； in San Antonio one must
approve of despotism； when Santa Anna parades himself there。〃
〃Has he made any preparations for attacking the Alamo？ Will
the Americans resist him？〃
〃Senorita Antonia； he is erecting a battery on the river bank；
three hundred yards from the Alamo。 This morning； ere the
ground was touched； he reviewed his men in the Plaza。 He
stood on an elevation at the church door； surrounded by his
officers and the priests； and unfurled the Mexican flag。〃
〃That was about eleven o'clock； Captain？〃
〃Si； Senorita。 You are precisely exact。〃
〃I heard at that hour a dull roar of human voicesa roar like
nothing on earth but the distant roar of the ocean。〃
〃To be sure； it was the shouting of the people。 When all was
still； Fray Ignatius blessed the flag； and sprinkled over it
holy water。 Then Santa Anna raised it to his lips and kissed
it。 Holy Maria！ another shout。 Then he crossed his sword
upon the flag； and cried out〃Soldados！ you are here to
defend this banner； which is the emblem of your holy faith and
of your native land； against heretics； infidels and ungrateful
traitors。 Do you swear to do it？ And the whole army answered
‘Si！ si！ juramos！' （yes； we swear。） Again he kissed the
flag； and laid his sword across it； and； to be sure； then
another shout。 It was a very clever thing； I assure you；
Senora； and it sent every soldier to the battery with a great
heart。〃
The Senora's easily touched feelings were all on fire at the
description。 〃I wish I could have seen the blessing of the
banner；〃 she said； 〃it is a ceremony to fill the soul。 I have
always wept at it。 Mark； Antonia！ This confirms what I
assured you ofthe Mexicans make war with a religious feeling
and a true refinement。 And pray； Captain Ortiz； how will the
Americans oppose these magnificent soldiers； full of piety and
patriotism？〃
〃They have the Alamo； and one hundred and eighty…three men in
it。〃
〃And four thousand men against them？〃
〃Si。 May the Virgin de los Remedios＇4＇ be their help！ An
urgent appeal for assistance was sent to Fanning at Goliad。
Senor Navarre； took it on a horse fleet as the wind。 You will
see that on the third day he will be smoking in his balcony；
in the way which is usual to him。〃
＇4＇ The Virgin appealed to in military straits。
〃Will Fanning answer the appeal？〃
〃If the answer be permitted him。 But Urrea may prevent。 Also
other things。〃
Santa Anna entered San Antonio on Tuesday the twenty…third of
February； 1836； and by the twenty…seventh the siege had become
a very close one。 Entrenched encampments encircled the doomed
men in the Alamo； and from dawn to sunset the bombardment went
on。 The tumult of the fightthe hurrying in and out of the
citythe clashing of church bells between the booming of
cannonthese things the Senora and her daughters could hear
and see； but all else was for twelve days mere surmise。 But
only one surmise was possible； when it was known that the
little band of defiant heroes were fighting twenty； times
their own numberthat no help could come to themthat the
Mexicans were cutting off their water； and that their
provisions were getting very low。 The face of Ortiz grew
constantly more gloomy； and yet there was something of triumph
in his tone as he told the miserably anxious women with what
desperate valor the Americans were fighting； and how fatally
every one of their shots told。
On Saturday night； the fifth of March； he called Antonia
aside； and said； 〃My Senorita； you have a great heart； and so
I speak to you。 The end is close。 To…day the Mexicans
succeeded in getting a large cannon within gunshot of the
Alamo； just where it is weakest。 Senor Captain Crockett has
stood on the roof all day； and as the gunners have advanced to
fire it he has shot them down。 A group of Americans were
around him； they loaded rifles and passed them to him quickly
as he could fire them。 Santa Anna was in a fury past
believing。 He swore then ‘by every saint in heaven or hell'
to enter the Alamo to…morrow。 Senor Navarro says he is raging
like a tiger； and that none of his officers dare approach him。
The Senor bade me tell you that to…morrow night he will be
here to escort you to Gonzales； for no American will his fury
spare； he knows neither sex nor age in his passions。 And when
th