gone. He called Deaf
Smith--the scout of scouts--and quickly ordered him to cut down the only
bridge across the bayou.

"At nine o'clock, General Cos joined Santa Anna with five hundred and
forty men, and for a moment I thought we had made a mistake in not
attacking the enemy before his reinforcements came up. But the knowledge
that Cos was present, raised enthusiasm to the highest pitch. Our troops
remembered his parole at the Alamo, and the shameful manner in which he
had broken it; and there was not a man who did not long to kill him for
it.

"About three o'clock in the afternoon, Houston ordered the attack. The
seven hundred Americans were divided into three bodies. I saw Houston in
the very centre of the line, and I have a confused memory of Milard and
Lamar, Burleson and Sherman and Wharton, in front of their divisions."

"Were the Mexicans expecting the attack, father?"

"They were in perfect order, Antonia; and when Sherman shouted the
battle-cry: 'REMEMBER THE ALAMO! GOLIAD AND THE ALAMO!' it was taken up
by the whole seven hundred, and such a shout of vengeance mortal ears
never heard before. The air was full of it, and it appeared to be echoed
and repeated by innumerable voices.

"With this shout on our lips, we advanced to within sixty paces of the
Mexican lines, and then a storm of bullets went flying over our heads.
One ball, however, shattered Houston's ankle, and another struck his
horse in the breast. But both man and horse were of the finest metal,
and they pressed on regardless of their wounds. We did not answer the
volley until we poured our lead into their very bosoms. No time for
reloading then. We clubbed our rifles till they broke, flung them away
and fired our pistols in the eyes of the enemy; then, nothing else
remaining, took our bowie-knives from our belts and cut our way through
the walls of living flesh."

Lopez rose at the words. It was impossible for him to express himself
sufficiently in an attitude of repose. His eyes glowed like fire, his
dark face was like a flame, he threw up his hands as he cried:

"Nothing comparable to that charge with knives was ever made on earth!
If I had seen through the smoke and vapor the mighty shade of Bowie
leading it, I should not have been surprised."

"Perhaps indeed, he did lead it," said the Senora, in a solemn voice. "I
saw yes, by all the saints of God! I saw a great host with my Juan. They
stretched out vast, shadowy arms--they made me F