I　escaped　by　a　kind　of　miracle。〃
  The　doctor　looked　at　the　Senora。　　She　seemed　to　be　asleep。
  〃Speak　low；〃　he　said；　〃but　tell　me　all。〃
  The　man　sat　upon　the　floor　with　his　back　against　the　wall。
  The　doctor　stooped　over　him。　　Antonia　and　Isabel　stood　beside
  their　father。
  〃We　heard　of　Urrea's　approach　at　San　Patricio。　　The　Irish
  people　of　that　settlement　welcomed　Urrea　with　great　rejoicing。
  He　was　a　Catholica　defender　of　the　faith。　　But　the
  American　settlers　in　the　surrounding　country　fled；　and　Fannin
  heard　that　five　hundred　women　and　children；　followed　by　the
  enemy；　were　trying　to　reach　the　fortress　of　Goliad。　　He
  ordered　Major　Ward；　with　the　Georgia　battalions；　to　go　and
  meet　the　fugitives。　　Many　of　the　officers　entreated　him　not　to
  divide　his　men　for　a　report　which　had　come　by　way　of　the
  faithless　colony　of　San　Patricio。
  〃But　Fannin　thought　the　risk　ought　to　be　taken。　　He　took　it；
  and　the　five　hundred　women　and　children　proved　to　be　a
  regiment　of　Mexican　dragoons。　　They　surrounded　our　infantry　on
  every　side；　and　after　two　days'　desperate　fighting；　the
  Georgia　battalions　were　no　more。　　In　the　meantime；　Fannin　got
  the　express　telling　him　of　the　fall　of　the　Alamo；　and　ordering
  him　to　unite　with　General　Houston。　　That　might　have　been　a
  possible　thing　with　eight　hundred　and　sixty　men；　but　it　was
  not　possible　with　three　hundred　and　sixty。　　However；　we　made
  the　effort；　and　on　the　great　prairie　were　attacked　by　the
  enemy　lying　in　ambush　there。　　Entirely　encircled　by　them；　yet
  still　fighting　and　pressing　onward；　we　defended　ourselves
  until　our　ammunition　gave　out。　　Then　we　accepted　the
  terms　of　capitulation　offered　by　Urrea；　and　were　marched　back
  to　Goliad　as　prisoners　of　war。　　Santa　Anna　ordered　us　all　to
  be　shot。〃
  〃But　you　were　prisoners　of　war？〃
  〃Urrea　laughed　at　the　articles；　and　said　his　only　intention　in
  them　was　to　prevent　the　loss　of　Mexican　blood。　　Most　of　his
  officers　remonstrated　with　with｛sic｝　him；　but　he　flew　into　a
  passion　at　Miralejes。　　‘The　Senor　Presidente's　orders　are　not
  to　be　trifled　with。　　By　the　Virgin　of　Guadelupe！'　he　cried；
  ‘it　would　be　as　much　as　my　own　life　was　worth　to　disobey
  them。'
  〃It　gave　the　Mexican　soldiers　pleasure　to　tell　us　these
  things；　and　though　we　scarcely　believed　such　treachery
  possible；　we　were　very　uneasy。　　On　the　eighth　day　after　the
  surrender；　a　lovely　Sunday　morning；　we　were　marched　out　of　the
  fort　on　pretence　of　sending　us　to　Louisiana；　according　to　the
  articles　of　surrender；　and　we　were　in　high　spirits　at　the
  prospect。
  〃But　I　noticed　that　we　were　surrounded　by　a　double　row　of
  soldiers；　and　that　made　me　suspicious。　　In　a　few　moments；
  Fannin　was　marched　into　the　centre；　and　told　to　sit　down
  on　a　low　stool。　　He　felt　that　his　hour　had　come。　　He　took
  his　watch　and　his　purse；　and　gave　them　to　some　poor　woman　who
  stood　outside　lamenting　and　praying　for　the　poor　Americans。
  I　shall　never　forget　the　calmness　and　brightness　of　his　face。
  The　Mexican　colonel　raised　his　sword；　the　drums　beat；　and　the
  slaughter　began。　　Fifty　men　at　a　time　were　shot；　and　those
  whom　the　guns　missed　or　crippled；　were　dispatched　with　the
  bayonet　or　lance。〃
  〃You　escaped。　　How？〃
  〃When　the　lips　of　the　officer　moved　to　give　the　order：　　Fire！
  I　fell　upon　my　face　as　if　dead。　　As　I　lay；　I　was　pierced　by　a
  bayonet　through　the　shoulder；　but　I　made　no　sign　of　life。
  After　the　execution；　the　camp　followers　came　to　rob　the　dead。
  A　kind…hearted　Mexican　woman　helped　me　to　reach　the　river。　　I
  found　a　horse　tied　there；　and　I　took　it。　　I　have　been　on　the
  point　of　giving　up　life　several　times；　but　I　met　a　man　coming
  here　with　the　news　to　Houston；　and　he　helped　me　to　hold　out。〃
  The　doctor　was　trembling　with　grief　and　anger；　and　he　felt
  Antonia's　hand　on　his　shoulder。
  〃My　friend；〃　he　whispered；　〃did　you　know　JOHN　WORTH？〃
  〃Who　did　not　know　him　in　Fannin's　camp？　　Any　of　us　would　have
  been　glad　to　save　poor　Jack；　and　he　had　a　friend　who　refused
  to　live　without　him。〃
  〃Dare　Grant？〃
  〃That　was　the　man；　young　lady。　　Grant　was　a　doctor；　and　the
  Mexicans　wanted　doctors。　　They　offered　him　his　life　for　his
  services；　but　he　would　not　have　it　unless　his　friend's　life
  also　was　spared。　　They　were　shot　holding　each　other's　hands；
  and　fell　together。　　I　was　watching　their　faces　at　the　moment。
  There　wasn't　a　bit　of　fear　in　them。〃
  The　Senora　rose；　and　came　as　swiftly　as　a　spirit　to　them。　　She
  looked　like　a　woman　walking　in　her　sleep。　　She　touched　the
  stranger。　　〃I　heard　you。　　You　saw　Dare　Grant　die。　　But　my　boy！
  My　boy！　　Where　is　my　Juan？〃
  〃Maria；　darling。〃
  〃Don't　speak；　Roberto。　　Where　is　my　Juan？　　Juan　Worth？〃
  〃Madam。　　I　am　sorry　enough；　God　knows。　　Juan　Worthwas　shot。〃
  Then　the　wretched　mother　threw　up　her　hands；　and　with　an
  awful　cry　fell　to　the　ground。　　It　was　hours　ere　she　recovered
  consciousness；　and　consciousness　only　restored　her　to　misery。
  The　distress　of　the　father；　the　brother　and　sisters　of　the
  dead　youth　was　submerged　in　the　speechless　despair　of　the
  mother。　　She　could　not　swallow　food；　she　turned　away　from　the
  the｛sic｝　sympathy　of　all　who　loved　her。　　Even　Isabel's
  caresses　were　received　with　an　apathy　which　was　terrifying。
  With　the　severed　curl　of　her　boy's　hair　in　her　fingers；　she
  sat　in　tearless；　voiceless　anguish。
  Poor　Antonia；　weighed　down　with　the　double　loss　that　had　come
  to　her；　felt；　for　the　first　time；　as　if　their　condition　was
  utterly　hopeless。　　The　mental　picture　of　her　brother　and　her
  lover　meeting　their　tragic　death　hand　in　hand；　their　youth　and
  beauty；　their　courage　and　fidelity；　was　constantly　before　her。
  With　all　the　purity　and　strength　of　her　true　heart；　she　loved
  Dare；　but　she　did　not　for　a　moment　wish　that　he　had　taken　a
  different　course。　　〃It　is　just　what　I　should　have　expected
  from　him；〃　she　said　to　Isabel。　　〃If　he　had　let　poor　Jack　die
  alone；　I　could　never　have　loved　him　in　the　same　way
  again。　　But　oh；　Isabel；　how　miserable　I　am？〃
  〃Sweet　Antonia；　I　can　only　weep　with　you。　　Think　of　this；　it
  was　on　last　Sunday　morning。　　Do　you　remember　how　sad　you
  were？〃
  〃I　was　in　what　seemed　to　be　an　unreasonable　distress。　　I　went
  away　to　weep。　　My　very　thoughts　were　tired　with　their
  sorrowful　journeys　up　and　down　my　mind；　trying　to　find　out
  hope　and　only　meeting　despair。　　Oh；　my　brave　Jack！　　Oh；　my
  dear　Dare；　what　a　cruel　fate　was　your's！〃
  〃And　mi　madre；　Antonia？　　I　fear；　indeed；　that　she　will　lose
  her　senses。　　She　will　not　speak　to　Thomas；　nor　even　to　me。
  She　has　not　said　a　prayer　since　Jack's　death。　　She　cannot
  sleep。　　I　am　afraid　of　her；　Antonia。〃
  〃To…night　we　are　to　move　further　east；　perhaps　the　journey　may
  waken　her　out　of　this　trance　of　grief。　　I　can　see　that　our
  father　is　wretched　about　her；　and　Thomas　wanders　in　and　out　of
  the　room　as　if　his　heart　was　broken。〃
  〃Thomas　loved　Jack。　　Luis　told　me　that　he　sat　with　him　and
  Lopez；　and　that　he　sobbed　like　a　woman。　　But；　also；　he　means
  a　great　revenge。　　None　of　the　men　slept　last　night。　　They
  stood　by　the　camp…fires　talking。　　Sometimes　I　went　to　the　door
  and　looked　out。　　How　awful　they　were　in　the　blaze　and
  darkness！　　I　think；　indeed；　they　could　have　conquered　Santa
  Anna　very　easily。〃
  Isabel　had　not　misjudged　the　spirit　of　the　camp。　　The　news　of
  the　massacre　at　Goliad　was　answered　by　a　call　for　vengeance
  that　nothing　but　vengeance　could　satisfy。　　On　the　following
  day　Houston　addressed　his　little　army。　　He　reminded　them　that
  they　were　the　children　of　the　heroes　who　fought　for　liberty　at
  Yorktown；　and　Saratoga；　and　Bunker　Hill。　　He　made　a　soul…
  stirring　review　of　the　events　that　had　passed；　he　explained　to
  them　their　situation；　and　the　designs　of　the　enemy；　and　how　he
  proposed　to　meet　them。
  His　voice；　loud　as　a　trumpet　with　a　silver　sound；　inspired　all
  who　heard　it　with　courage。　　His　large；　bright　visage；　serious
  but　hopeful；　seemed　to　sun　the　camp。　　〃They　live　too　long；〃　he
  cried；　〃who　outlive　freedom。　　And　I　promise　you　that　you　shall
  have　a　full　cup　of　vengeance。　　For　every　man　that　fell
  fighting　at　the　Alamo；　for　every　one　treacherously
  slaughtered　at　Goliad；　you　shall　be　satisfied。　　If　I　seem
  to　be　flying　before　the　enemy　now；　it　is　for　his　destruction。
  Three　Mexican　armies　united；　we　cannot　fight。　　We　can　fight
  them　singly。　　And　every　mile　we　make　them　follow　us　weakens
  them；　separates　them；　confuses　them。　　The　low　lands　of　the
  Brazos；　the　unfordable　streams；　the　morasses；　the　pathless
  woods；　are　in　league　with　us。　　And　we　must　place　our　women　and
  children　in　safety。　　Even　if　we　have　to　carry　them　to　General
  Gaines　and　the　United　States　troops；　we　must　protect　them；
  first　of　all。　　I　believe　that　we　shall　win　our　freedom　with
  our　own　hands；　but　if　the　worst　come；　and　we　have　to　fall　back
  to　the　Sabine；　we　shall　find　friends　and　backers　there。　　I
  know　President　Jackson；　my　old　general；　the　unconquered
  Christian　Mars！　　Do　you　think　he　will　desert　his　countrymen？
  Never！　　If　we　should　need　help；　he　has　provided　it。　　And　the
  freedom　of　Texas　is　sure　and　certain。　　It　is　at　hand。　　Prepare
  to　achieve　it。　　We　shall　take　up　our　march　eastward　in　three
  hours。〃
  Ringing　shouts　answered　the　summons。　　The　camp　was　in　a　tumult
  of　preparation　immediately；　Houston　was　lending　his