well acquainted with hell road, and will guide
each other there without my wish."

"I am sure if Jack has one day he will come to you. And when he hears of
the surrender of General Cos--"

"Well now, it was God's will that General Cos should surrender. What
more can be said? It is sufficient."

"Let me call Antonia. She is miserable at your displeasure; and it is
not Antonia's fault."

"Pardon me, Roberto. I have seen Antonia. She is not agreeable and
obedient to Fray Ignatius."

"She has been very wickedly used by him; and I fear he intends to do her
evil."

"It is not convenient to discuss the subject now. I will see Isabel;
she is a good child--my only comfort. Paciencia! there is Luis Alveda
singing; Isabel will now be deaf to all else"; and she rose with a sigh
and walked towards the casement looking into the garden.

Luis was coming up the oleander walk. The pretty trees were thinner now,
and had only a pink blossom here and there. But the bright winter sun
shone through them, and fell upon Luis and Isabel. For she had also seen
him coming, and had gone to meet him, with a little rainbow-tinted shawl
over her head. She looked so piquant and so happy. She seemed such a
proper mate for the handsome youth at her side that a word of dissent
was not possible. The doctor said only, "She is so like you, Maria. I
remember when you were still more lovely, and when from your balcony you
made me with a smile the happiest man in the world."

Such words were never lost ones; for the Senora had a true and great
love for her husband. She gave him again a smile, she put her hand in
his, and then there were no further conciliations required. They stood
in the sunshine of their own hearts, and listened a moment to the gay
youth, singing, how at--

The strong old Alamo
Two hundred men, with rifles true,
Shot down a thousand of the foe,
And broke the triple ramparts through;
And dropped the flag as black as night,
For Freedom's green and red and white.[3]

CHAPTER XI. A HAPPY TRUCE.

"Well, honor is the subject of my story;
I cannot tell what you and other men
Think of this life; but for my single self,
I had as lief not be, as live to be
In awe of such a thing as I myself."

"Two truths are told
As happy prologues to the swelling act,
Of the imperial theme."

"This is the ev