her。　　She　concentrated　in　herself　his　memory　of　home；　mother；
  and　country。　　She　embodied；　in　the　perfectness　of　their　mental
  companionship；　that　rarest　and　sweetest　of　tiesa　beloved
  child；　who　is　also　a　wise　friend　and　a　sympathetic　comrade。
  As　he　entered　the　garden　she　slipped　her　hand　into　his。　　He
  clasped　it　tightly。　　His　smile　answered　her　smile。　　There　was
  no　need　for　any　words　of　salutation。
  The　full　moon　had　risen。　　The　white　house　stood　clearly　out　in
  its　radiance。　　The　lattices　were　wide　open　and　the　parlor
  lighted。　　They　walked　slowly　towards　it；　between　hedges　of
  white　camelias　and　scarlet　japonicas。　　Vanilla；　patchuli；
  verbena；　wild　wandering　honeysucklea　hundred　other　scents
  perfumed　the　light；　warm　air。　　As　they　came　near　the　house
  there　was　a　sound　of　music；　soft　and　tinkling；　with　a
  rhythmic　accent　as　pulsating　as　a　beating　heart。
  〃It　is　Don　Luis；　father。〃
  〃Ah！　　He　plays　welland　he　looks　well。〃
  They　had　advanced　to　where　Don　Luis　was　distinctly　visible。
  He　was　within　the　room；　but　leaning　against　the　open　door；
  playing　upon　a　mandolin。　　Robert　Worth　smiled　as　he　offered
  his　hand　to　him。　　It　was　impossible　not　to　smile　at　a　youth　so
  handsome；　and　so　charminga　youth　who　had　all　the　romance　of
  the　past　in　his　name；　his　home；　his　picturesque　costume；　and
  all　the　enchantments　of　hope　and　great　enthusiasms　in　his
  future。
  〃Luis；　I　am　glad　to　see　you；　and　I　felt　your　music　as　soon　as
  I　heard　it。〃
  He　was　glancing　inquiringly　around　the　room　as　he　spoke；　and
  Antonia　answered　the　look：
  〃Mother　and　Isabel　are　supping　with　Dona　Valdez。　　There　is　to
  be　a　dance。　　I　am　waiting　for　you；　father。　　You　must　put　on
  your　velvet　vest。〃
  〃And　you；　Luis？〃
  〃I　do　not　go。　　I　asked　the　judge　for　the　appointment。　　He
  refused　me。　　Very　well！　I　care　not　to　drink　chocolate　and
  dance　in　his　house。　　One　hand　washes　the　other；　and　one　cousin
  should　help　another。〃
  〃Why　did　he　refuse　you？〃
  〃Who　can　tell？〃　but　Luis　shrugged　his　shoulders　expressively；
  and　added；　〃He　gave　the　office　to　Blas…Sangre。〃
  〃Ah！〃
  〃Yes；　it　is　sonaturally；Blas…Sangre　is　rich；　and　when　the
  devil　of　money　condescends　to　appear；　every　little　devil　rises
  up　to　do　him　homage。〃
  〃Let　it　pass；　Luis。　　Suppose　you　sing　me　that　last　verse
  again。　　It　had　a　taking　charm。　　The　music　was　like　a　boat
  rocking　on　the　water。〃
  〃So　it　ought　to　be。　　I　learned　the　words　in　New　Orleans。　　The
  music　came　from　the　heart　of　my　mandolin。　　Listen；　Senor！
  〃‘Row　young　oarsman；　row；　young　oarsman；
  Into　the　crypt　of　the　night　we　float：
  Fair；　faint　moonbeams　wash　and　wander；
  Wash　and　wander　about　the　boat。
  Not　a　fetter　is　here　to　bind　us；
  Love　and　memory　lose　their　spell；
  Friends　that　we　have　left　behind　us；
  Prisoners　of　content；farewell！'〃
  〃You　are　a　wizard；　Luis；　and　I　have　had　a　sail　with　you。
  Now；　come　with　us；　and　show　those　dandy　soldiers　from　the
  Alamo　how　to　dance。〃
  〃Pardon！　　I　have　not　yet　ceased　to　cross　myself　at　the　affront
  of　this　morning。　　And　the　Senora　Valdez　is　in　the　same　mind　as
  her　husband。　　I　should　be　received　by　her　like　a　dog　at　mass。
  I　am　going　to…morrow　to　the　American　colony　on　the　Colorado。〃
  〃Be　careful；　Luis。　　These　Austin　colonists　are　giving　great
  troublethere　have　been　whispers　of　very　strong　measures。　　I
  speak　as　a　friend。〃
  〃My　heart　to　yours！　　But　let　me　tell　you　this　about　the
  Americanstheir　drum　is　in　the　hands　of　one　who　knows　how　to
  beat　it。〃
  〃As　a　matter　of　hearsay；　are　you　aware　that　three　detachments
  of　troops　are　on　their　way　from　Mexico？〃
  〃For　Texas？〃
  〃For　Texas。〃
  〃What　are　three　detachments？　　Can　a　few　thousand　men　put　Texas
  under　lock　and　key？　　I　assure　you　not；　Senor；　but　now　I　must
  say　adieu！
  He　took　the　doctor's　hand；　and；　as　he　held　it；　turned　his
  luminous　face　and　splendid　eyes　upon　Antonia。　　A　sympathetic
  smile　brightened　her　own　face　like　a　flame。　　Then　he　went
  silently　away；　and　Antonia　watched　him　disappear　among　the
  shrubbery。
  〃Come；　Antonia！　　I　am　ready。　　We　must　not　keep　the　Senora
  waiting　too　long。〃
  〃I　am　ready　also；　father。〃　　Her　voice　was　almost　sad；　and　yet
  it　had　a　tone　of　annoyance　in　it〃Don　Luis　is　so　imprudent；〃
  she　said。　　〃He　is　always　in　trouble。　　He　is　full　of
  enthusiasms；　he　is　as　impossible　as　his　favorite；　Don
  Quixote。〃
  〃And　I　thank　God；　Antonia；　that　I　can　yet　feel　with　him。　　Woe
  to　the　centuries　without　Quixotes！　　Nothing　will　remain　to
  them　butSancho　Panzas。〃
  CHAPTER　II。
  ANTONIA　AND　ISABEL。
  〃He　various　changes　of　the　world　had　known；
  And　some　vicissitudes　of　human　fate；
  Still　altering；　never　in　a　steady　state
  Good　after　ill；　and　after　pain　delight；
  Alternate；　like　the　scenes　of　day　and　night。〃
  〃Ladies　whose　bright　eyes
  Rain　influence。〃
  〃But　who　the　limits　of　that　power　shall　trace；
  Which　a　brave　people　into　life　can　bring；
  Or　hide　at　will；　for　freedom　combating
  By　just　revenge　inflamed？〃
  For　many　years　there　had　never　been　any　doubt　in　the　mind　of
  Robert　Worth　as　to　the　ultimate　destiny　of　Texas；　though　he　was
  by　no　means　an　adventurer；　and　had　come　into　the　beautiful
  land　by　a　sequence　of　natural　and　business…like　events。　　He
  was　born　in　New　York。　　In　that　city　he　studied　his　profession；
  and　in　eighteen　hundred　and　three　began　its　practice　in　an
  office　near　Contoit's　Hotel；　opposite　the　City　Park。　　One　day
  he　was　summoned　there　to　attend　a　sick　man。　　His
  patient　proved　to　be　Don　Jaime　Urrea；　and　the　rich　Mexican
  grandee　conceived　a　warm　friendship　for　the　young　physician。
  At　that　very　time；　France　had　just　ceded　to　the　United　States
  the　territory　of　Louisiana；　and　its　western　boundary　was　a
  subject　about　which　Americans　were　then　angrily　disputing。
  They　asserted　that　it　was　the　Rio　Grande；　but　Spain；　who
  naturally　did　not　want　Americans　so　near　her　own　territory；
  denied　the　claim；　and　made　the　Sabine　River　the　dividing　line。
  And　as　Spain　had　been　the　original　possessor　of　Louisiana；　she
  considered　herself　authority　on　the　subject。
  The　question　was　on　every　tongue；　and　it　was　but　natural　that
  it　should　be　discussed　by　Urrea　and　his　physician。　　In　fact；
  they　talked　continually　of　the　disputed　boundary；　and　of
  Mexico。　　And　Mexico　was　then　a　name　to　conjure　by。　　She　was　as
  yet　a　part　of　Spain；　and　a　sharer　in　all　her　ancient　glories。
  She　was　a　land　of　romance；　and　her　very　name　tasted　on　the
  lips；　of　gold；　and　of　silver；　and　of　precious　stones。　　Urrea
  easily　persuaded　the　young　man　to　return　to　Mexico　with　him。
  The　following　year　there　was　a　suspicious　number　of　American
  visitors　and　traders　in　San　Antonio；　and　one　of　the　Urreas　was
  sent　with　a　considerable　number　of　troops　to　garrison　the
  city。　　For　Spain　was　well　aware　that；　however　statesmen　might
  settle　the　question；　the　young　and　adventurous　of　the　American
  people　considered　Texas　United　States　territory；　and　would　be
  well　inclined　to　take　possession　of　it　by　force　of　arms；　if　an
  opportunity　offered。
  Robert　Worth　accompanied　General　Urrea　to　San　Antonio；　and　the
  visit　was　decisive　as　to　his　future　life。　　The　country
  enchanted　him。　　He　was　smitten　with　love　for　it；　as　men　are
  smitten　with　a　beautiful　face。　　And　the　white　Moorish　city　had
  one　special　charm　for　himit　was　seldom　quite　free　from
  Americans；　Among　the　mediaeval　loungers　in　the　narrow　streets；
  it　filled　his　heart　with　joy　to　see　at　intervals　two　or　three
  big　men　in　buckskin　or　homespun。　　And　he　did　not　much　wonder
  that　the　Morisco…Hispano…Mexican　feared　these　Anglo…Americans；
  and　suspected　them　of　an　intention　to　add　Texan　to　their
  names。
  His　inclination　to　remain　in　San　Antonio　was　settled　by
  his　marriage。　　Dona　Maria　Flores；　though　connected　with　the
  great　Mexican　families　of　Yturbide　and　Landesa；　owned　much
  property　in　San　Antonio。　　She　had　been　born　within　its　limits；
  and　educated　in　its　convent；　and　a　visit　to　Mexico　and　New
  Orleans　had　only　strengthened　her　attachment　to　her　own　city。
  She　was　a　very　pretty　woman；　with　an　affectionate　nature；　but
  she　was　not　intellectual。　　Even　in　the　convent　the　sisters　had
  not　considered　her　clever。
  But　men　often　live　very　happily　with　commonplace　wives；　and
  Robert　Worth　had　never　regretted　that　his　Maria　did　not　play
  on　the　piano；　and　paint　on　velvet；　and　work　fine　embroideries
  for　the　altars。　　They　had　passed　nearly　twenty…six　years
  together　in　more　than　ordinary　content　and　prosperity。　　Yet　no
  life　is　without　cares　and　contentions；　and　Robert　Worth　had
  had　to　face　circumstances　several　times；　which　had　brought　the
  real　man　to　the　front。
  The　education　of　his　children　had　been　such　a　crisis。　　He　had
  two　sons　and　two　daughters；　and　for　them　he　anticipated　a
  wider　and　grander　career　than　he　had　chosen　for　himself。
  When　his　eldest　child；　Thomas；　had　reached　the　age　of
  fourteen；　he　determined　to　send　him　to　New　York。　　He　spoke　to
  Dona　Maria　of　this　intention。　　He　described　Columbia　to　her
  with　all　the　affectionate　pride　of　a　student　for　his　alma
  mater。　　The　boy's　grandmother　also　still　lived　in　the　home
  wherein；　he　himself　had　grown　to　manhood。　　His　ey