Then； room by room was taken with slaughter incredible。 There
were fourteen Americans in the hospital。 They fired their
rifles and pistols from their pallets with such deadly aim
that Milagros turned a cannon shotted with grape and canister
upon them。 They were blown to pieces； but at the entrance of
the door they left forty dead Mexicans。〃
〃Ah Senor； Senor！ tell me no more。 My heart can not endure
it。〃
〃Mi madre；〃 answered Isabel； 〃we must hear it all。 Without
it； one cannot learn to hate Santa Anna sufficiently〃； and her
small； white teeth snapped savagely； as she touched the hand
of Lopez with an imperative 〃Proceed。〃
〃Colonel Bowie was helpless in bed。 Two Mexican officers
fired at him； and one ran forward to stab him ere he died。
The dying man caught his murderer by the hair of his head； and
plunged his knife into his heart。 They went to judgment at
the same moment。〃
〃I am glad of it！ Glad of it！ The American would say to the
Almighty： ‘Thou gavest me life； and thou gavest me freedom；
freedom； that is the nobler gift of the two。 This man robbed
me of both。' And God is just。 The Judge of the whole earth
will do right。〃
〃At noon； only six of the one hundred and eighty…three were
left alive。 They were surrounded by Castrillon and his
soldiers。 Xavier says his general was penetrated with
admiration for these heroes。 He spoke sympathizingly to
Crockett； who stood in an angle of the fort； with his
shattered rifle in his right hand； and his massive knife；
dripping with blood； in his left。 His face was gashed； his
white hair crimson with blood； but a score of Mexicans； dead
and dying； were around him。 At his side was Travis； but so
exhausted that he was scarcely alive。
〃Castrillon could not kill these heroes。 He asked their lives
of Santa Anna； who stood with a scowling； savage face in
this last citadel of his foes。 For answer； he turned to the
men around him； and said； with a malignant emphasis：
‘Fire！' It was the last volley。 Of the defenders of the
Alamo； not one is left。〃
A solemn silence followed。 For a few minutes it was painful
in its intensity。 Isabel broke it。 She spoke in a whisper；
but her voice was full of intense feeling。 〃I wish indeed the
whole city had been burnt up。 There was a fire this
afternoon； I would be glad if it were burning yet。〃
〃May God pardon us all； Senorita！ That was a fire which does
not go out。 It will burn for ages。 I will explain myself。
Santa Anna had the dead Americans put into ox…wagons and
carried to an open field outside the city。 There they were
burnt to ashes。 The glorious pile was still casting lurid
flashes and shadows as I passed it。〃
〃I will hear no more！ I will hear no more！〃 cried the Senora。
〃And I will go away from here。 Ah； Senor； why do you not make
haste？ In a few hours we shall have daylight again。 I am in
a terror。 Where is Ortiz？〃
〃The horses are not caught in a five minutes； Senora。
But listen； there is the roll of the wagon on the flagged
court。 All； then； is ready。 Senora； show now that you are of
a noble house； and in this hour of adversity be brave； as the
Flores have always been。〃
She was pleased by the entreaty； and took his arm with a
composure which； though assumed； was a sort of strength。 She
entered the wagon with her daughters； and uttered no word of
complaint。 Then Navarro locked the gate； and took his seat
beside Ortiz。 The prairie turf deadened the beat of their
horses' hoofs； they went at a flying pace； and when the first
pallid light of morning touched the east； they had left San
Antonio far behind and were nearing the beautiful banks of the
Cibolo。
CHAPTER XV。
GOLIAD。
〃How sleep the brave who sink to rest
By all their country's wishes bless'd？
* * * * *
By fairy hands their knell is rung；
By forms unseen their dirge is sung。
There Honor comes； a pilgrim gray；
To bless the turf that wraps their clay；
And Freedom shall awhile repair；
To dwell a weeping hermit there。〃
〃How shall we rank thee upon glory's page？
Thou more than soldier； and just less than sage。〃
〃Grief fills the room up of my absent child；
Lies in his bed； walks up and down with me；
Remembers me of all his gracious parts。〃
Near midnight； on March the ninth； the weary fugitives arrived
at Gonzales。 They had been detained by the deep mud in the
bottom lands； and by the extreme exhaustion of the ladies；
demanding some hours' rest each day。 The village was dark
and quiet。 Here and there the glimmer of a candle；
now and then the call of a sentry； or the wail of a child
broke the mysterious silence。
Ortiz appeared to know the ground perfectly。 He drove without
hesitation to a log house in which a faint thread of light was
observable； and as he approached it he gave a long； peculiar
whistle。 The door was instantly thrown open； and； as the
wagon stopped； two men stepped eagerly to it。 In another
instant the Senora was weeping in her husband's arms； and
Isabel laughing and crying and murmuring her sweet surprises
into the ear of the delighted Luis。 When their wraps had been
removed from the wagon； Ortiz drove away； leaving Navarro and
Antonia standing by the little pile of ladies' luggage。
〃I will take charge of all； Senorita。 Alas！ How weary you
are！〃
〃It is nothing； Senor。 Let me thank you for your great
kindness。〃
〃Senorita； to be of service to you is my good fortune。 If it
were necessary； my life for your life； and I would die happy。〃
She had given him her hand with her little speech of thanks；
and he raised it to his lips。 It was an act of homage
that he might have offered to a saint； but in it Lopez
unconsciously revealed to Antonia the secret love in his
heart。 For he stood in the glow of light from the open door；
and his handsome face showed； as in a glass darkly； the
tenderness and hopelessness of his great affection。 She was
touched by the discovery； and though she had a nature faithful
as sunrising she could not help a feeling of kindly interest
in a lover so reticent； so watchful； so forgetful of himself。
The log cabin in which they found shelter was at least a
resting…place。 A fire of cedar logs burned upon the hearth；
and there was a bed in the room； and a few rude chairs covered
with raw hide。 But the Senora had a happy smile on her weary
face。 She ignored the poverty of her surroundings。 She had
her Roberto； and； for this hour at least； had forgiven fate。
Presently the coffee…pot was boiling； and Doctor Worth and
Luis brought out their small store of corn…bread and their tin
camp…cups； and the weary women ate and drank； and comforted
themselves in the love and protection at their side。
Doctor Worth sat by his wife； and gave Antonia his hand。
Isabel leaned her pretty head against Luis； and listened with
happy smiles to his low words：
〃Charming little one； your lips are two crimson curtains。
Between curtain and curtain my kiss is waiting。 Give it to
me。〃
〃Eyes of my soul； to…night the world begins again for me。〃
〃At this blessed hour of God； I am the happiest man he has
made。〃
〃As for me； here in this dear； white hand I put my heart。〃
Is there any woman who cannot imagine Isabel's shy glances；
and the low； sweet words in which she answered such delightful
protestations？ And soon； to add a keener zest to his
happiness； Luis began to be a little jealous。
〃With us is Dias de Bonilla。 Do you remember； my beloved one。
that you danced with him once？〃
〃How can you say a thing so offensive？〃
〃Yes； dear； at the Senora Valdez's。〃
〃It may be。 I have forgotten。〃
〃Too well he remembers。 He has dared to sing a serenade
to your memorywell； truly； he did not finish it； and but for
the Senor Doctor； I should have taught him that Isabel is not
a name for his lips to utter。 Here； he may presume to come
into your presence。 Will you receive him with extreme
haughtiness？ It would be a great satisfaction to me。〃
〃The poor fellow！ Why should I make him miserable？ You
should not be jealous； Luis。〃
〃If you smile on himthe least little smilehe will think
you are in love with him。 He is such a fool； I assure you。
I am very distressed about this matter； my angel。〃
〃I will tell you Luiswhen the myrtle…tree grows figs； and
the fig…tree is pink with myrtle flowers； then I may fall in
love with Dias de Bonillaif I can take the trouble。〃
No one heeded this pretty； extravagant talk。 It was a thing
apart from the more serious interests discussed by Doctor
Worth and his wife and eldest daughter。 And when Ortiz and
Navarro joined the circle； the story of the fall of the Alamo
was told again； and Luis forgot his own happiness； and wept
tears of anger and pity for the dead heroes。
〃This brutal massacre was on the morning of the sixth； you
say； Navarro？〃
〃Last Sabbath morning； Senor。 Mass was being offered in the
churches； and Te Deums sung while it went on。〃
〃A mass to the devil it was；〃 said Ortiz。
〃Now； I will tell you something。 On the morning of the
second； Thomas w