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Dare also。 Do not weep。 I entreat you! My heart is heavy;
and your tears I cannot bear。〃
Then she answered; with a noble Composure: 〃I will give
you smiles and kisses。 My good Roberto; so true and kind! I
will try to be worthy of you。 Nay; but you must not weep
Roberto!〃
It was true。 Quite unconsciously the troubled husband and
father was weeping。 〃I fear to leave you; dear Maria。 All is
so uncertain。 I can only ask you two favors; if you will
grant them; you will do all that can be done to send me away
with hope。 Will you promise me to have nothing to do whatever
with Fray Ignatius; and to resist every attempt he may make to
induce you to go into a religious house of any kind?〃
〃I promise you; Roberto。 By my mother's cross; I promise
you!〃
〃Again; dear Maria; if you should be in any danger; promise me
that you will do as Antonia and Lopez Navarro think it wisest
and best。〃
〃Go with God; my; husband。 Go with God; in a good hour。 All
you wish; I will do。〃
He held her to his heart and kissed her; and she whispered
amid her tender farewells to himself; messages to her soils
but especially to Juan。 〃Will you see Juan? If you do; tell
him I repent。 I send him a thousand blessings! Ah; the
dear one! Kiss him for me; Roberto! Tell him how much I love
him; Roberto! How I sorrow because I was cross to him! My
precious one! My good son; who always loved me so dearly!〃
At length Isabel came in to weep in her mother's arms。 〃Luis
is going away;〃 she cried。 The father felt a momentary keen
pang of jealousy。 〃I am going also; queridita;〃 he said
mournfully。 Then she threw her arms around his neck and
bewailed her bad fortune。 〃If I were the Almighty God; I
would not give love and then take it away;〃 she murmured。 〃I
would give orders that the good people should always be happy。
I would not let men like Santa Anna live。 He is a measureless
monster; and ought to go to the dto purgatory; at the very
least。〃
While the Senora soothed her complaining; the doctor left。
One troubled glance of a great love he cast backward from the
door ere he closed it behind him; and then his countenance
suddenly changed。 Stern and strong it grew; with a glow of
anger in the steel…blue eyes that gave an entirely new
character to it。
He called Antonia into his study; and talked with her of
the crisis which was approaching; and of the conduct of their
affairs in it。 He showed her the places in which his gold
coin was hidden。 He told her on whom to rely in any
emergency。
〃We have sure information that General Urrea; with the
vanguard of a large Mexican army; will be here next month。
Santa Anna will follow him quickly。 You see that the city
must either be defended or our men must retreat。 I am going
to Houston with this dilemma。 Luis and Dare will join Fannin
at Goliad。 Now; my dear child; you have my place to fill。 If
Santa Anna takes possession of San Antonio; what will you do?〃
〃If we are not disturbed in any way; I will keep very quiet
within my own home。〃
〃If Fray Ignatius attempts to interfere with youwhat then?〃
〃I will fly from him; and take Isabel and mi madre with me。〃
〃That is your only safety。 I shall hear if the Americans
desert the city; then I will send your brother Thomas; if by
any possibility it can be done; to guard you to the eastern
settlements。 But I may not be able to do thisthere may
be no timeit cannot be depended uponLopez Navarro will
help you all he can; and Ortiz。 You may always rely on
Ortiz。〃
〃My father; I cannot trust Ortiz。 Every man is a master to a
peon。 He would mean to do kindly; but his cowardice might
make him false。〃
〃Ortiz is no peon。 He is a Mexican officer of high rank; whom
Santa Anna ordered to be shot。 I saved his life。 He wears
the clothes of a peonthat is necessary; but he has the honor
and gratitude of a gentleman beneath them。 If necessary;
trust Ortiz fully。 One thing above all others remember
FLIGHT before a convent。〃
〃Flight! Yes; death before it! I promise you; father。 When
we meet again; you shall say; well done; Antonia。〃
It was now about midnight。 They went back to the parlor。
Luis and Dare sat by the dying fire。 They were bent forward;
close together over it; talking in a low voice。 They rose
when the doctor spoke; and silently kissed Antonia。
〃It will be a hard ride; now;〃 said the doctor;〃 and Dare
answered; mechanically; 〃but we shall manage it。〃 He
held Antonia's hand; and she went with them to the rear of the
house。 Their horses were standing ready saddled。 Silently
the men mounted。 In a moment they had passed the gate; and
the beat of their horses' hoofs gradually died away。
But all through the clear spaces of the sky the Christmas
bells were ringing; and the serenaders were musically telling
each other;
〃At twelve will the Child be born!〃
CHAPTER XII。
DANGER AND HELP。
〃A curious creed they weave;
And; for the Church commands it;
All men must needs believe;
Though no man understands it。
God loves his few pet lambs;
And saves his one pet nation;
The rest he largely damns;
With swinging reprobation。〃
〃The Church may loose and bind;
But Mind; immortal Mind;
As free as wave or wind;
Came forth; O God; from Thee。〃
BLACKIE。
Dr。 Worth had set his daughter a task of no light magnitude。
It was true; that Rachela and Fray Ignatius could no longer
disturb the household by their actual presence; but their
power to cause unhappiness was not destroyed。 Among the
Mexican families loyal to Santa Anna the dismission of the
priest and the duenna had been a source of much indignant
gossip; for Rachela was one of those women who cry
out when they are hurt; and compel others to share their
trouble。 The priest had not therefore found it necessary to
explain WHY the Senora had called upon a new confessor。 He
could be silent; and possess his dignity in uncomplaining
patience; for Rachela paraded his wrongs as a kind of set…off
to her own。
Such piety! Such virtues! And the outrageous conduct of
the Senor Doctor! To be sure there was cause for anger at the
Senorita Antonia。 Oh; yes! She could crow her mind abroad!
There were booksOh; infamous books! Books not proper to be
read; and the Senorita had them! Well then; if the father
burned them; that was a good deed done。 And he had almost
been reviled for itsent out of the houseyes; it was quite
possible that he had been struck! Anything was possible from
those American heretics。 As for her own treatment; after
twenty years service; it had been cruel; abominable; more than
thatiniquitous; but about these things she had spoken; and
the day of atonement would come。 Justice was informing itself
on the whole matter。
Such conversations continually diversified; extended; repeated
on all hands; quickly aroused a prejudice against the doctor's
family。 Besides which; the Senora Alveda resented bitterly
the visits of her son Luis to Isabel。 None of the customs of
a Mexic