a was watching him. He conveyed to her, by the strength
of his love and his will, the assurance of all their hopes.

That day Doctor Worth did not go out. The little bravado of carrying
arms was impossible to him. It was not that his courage had failed, or
that he had lost a tittle of his convictions, but he was depressed
by the uncertainty of his position and duty, and he was, besides, the
thrall of that intangible anxiety which we call PRESENTIMENT.

Yet, however dreary life is, it must go on. The brave-hearted cannot
drop daily duty. On the second day the doctor went to his office again,
and Antonia arranged the meals and received company, and did her best
to bring the household into peaceful accord with the new elements
encroaching on it from all sides.

But the Senora was more "difficult" than even Rachela had ever seen her
before. She did not go to church, but Fray Ignatius spent a great deal
of time with her; and his influence was not any more conciliating than
that of early masses and much fasting.

He said to her, indeed: "My daughter, you have behaved with the
fortitude of a saint. It would have been more than a venial sin, if you
had kissed and blessed a rebel in the very act of his rebellion. The
Holy Mary will reward and comfort you."

But the Senora was not sensible of the reward and comfort; and she did
feel most acutely the cruel wound she had given her mother love. Neither
prayers nor penance availed her. She wanted to see Jack. She wanted to
kiss him a hundred times, and bless him with every kiss. And it did not
help her to be told that these longings were the suggestions of the Evil
One, and not to be listened to.

The black-robed monk, gliding about his house with downcast eyes and
folded hands, had never seemed to Robert Worth so objectionable. He
knew that he kept the breach open between himself and his wife--that
he thought it a point of religious duty to do so. He knew that he was
gradually isolating the wretched woman from her husband and children,
and that the continual repetition of prayers and penances did not give
her any adequate comfort for the wrong she was doing her affections.

The city was also in a condition of the greatest excitement. The
soldiers in the Alamo were under arms. Their officers had evidently
received important advices from Mexico. General Cos, the brother-in-law
of Santa Anna, was now in command, and it was said immense
reinforcements were hourly looked for. The