dance, followed by
the rapid sweep of a powerful hand over the strings of a guitar. Then a
group of officers stepped together, and a great wave of melodious song,
solemn and triumphant, thrilled the night. It was the national hymn.
Antonia and Isabel knew it. Every word beat upon their hearts. The power
of association, the charm of a stately, fervent melody was upon them.

"It is Senor Higadillos who leads," whispered Isabel, as a resonant
voice, powerful and sweet, cried--

"O list to the summons! The blood of our sires,
Boils high in our veins, and to vengeance inspires!
Who bows to the yoke? who bends to the blow?"

and, without a moment's hesitation, the answer came in a chorus of
enthusiastic cadences--

"No hero will bend, no Mexican bow;
Our country in tears sends her sons to the fight,
To conquer, or die, for our land and our right."

"You see, the Mexicans think THEY are in the right--THEY are patriots
also, Antonia."

The sorrowful girl spoke like a puzzled child, fretfully and
uncertainly, and Antonia led her silently away. What could she answer?
And when she remembered the dear fugitive, riding alone through the
midnight--riding now for life and liberty--she could not help the
uprising again of that cold benumbing question--"Is it worth while?"

CHAPTER VII. A MEETING AT MIDNIGHT.

"All faiths are to their own believers just,
For none believe because they will, but must;
The priest continues what the nurse began,
And thus the child imposes on the man."
--DRYDEN.

"--if he be called upon to face
Some awful moment, to which heaven has joined
Great issues good or bad for humankind,
Is happy as a lover; and attired
With sudden brightness, like a man inspired;
And through the heat of conflict keeps the law
In calmness made; and sees what he foresaw,
Or, if an unexpected call succeed,
Come when it will, is equal to the need."
--WORDSWORTH.

"Ah! love, let us be true
To one another, through the world which seems
To lie before us like a land of dreams!"

The gathering at Don Valasco's was constantly repeated in various
degrees of splendor among the loyal Mexicans of the city. They were as
fully convinced of the justice of their cause as the Americans were.
"They had graciously permitted Americans t