y life, even if I live to be a hundred."

She covered her face with her hands, as if she would cut out the sight
of that last inferno in the church. The others were silent, stunned for
the time.

"All gone," said Obed White, at last. "When the news is spread that
every man stood firm to the last I think it will light such a fire in
Texas that Santa Anna and all his armies cannot put it out."

"Did you see a boy called Ned Fulton in the Alamo, a tall, handsome
fellow with brown hair and gray eyes?" asked Obed White.

"Often," replied Mrs. Dickinson. "He was with Crockett and Bowie a great
deal."

"And none escaped?" said Will Allen.

"Not one," she repeated, "I did not see him in the church in the final
assault. He doubtless fell in the hospital or in the convent yard. Ah,
he was a friend of yours! I am sorry."

"Yes, he was a friend of ours," said the Panther. "He was more than that
to me. I loved that boy like a son, an' me an' my comrades here mean to
see that the Mexicans pay a high price for his death. An' may I ask,
ma'am, how you come to be here?"

She told him how Santa Anna had provided her with the horse, and had
sent her alone with the proclamation to the Texans. At the Salado Creek
she had come upon the negro servant of Travis, who had escaped from San
Antonio, and he was helping her on the way.

"An' now, ma'am," said "Deaf" Smith, "we'll guard you the rest of the
way to Gonzales."

The two little groups, now fused into one, resumed their journey over
the prairie.

CHAPTER XV

IN ANOTHER TRAP

When Ned Fulton scaled the lowest wall of the Alamo and dropped into the
darkness he ran for a long time. He scarcely knew in what direction he
was going, but he was anxious to get away from that terrible town of San
Antonio de Bexar. He was filled with grief for his friends and anger
against Santa Anna and his people. He had passed through an event so
tremendous in its nature, so intense and fiery in its results, that his
whole character underwent a sudden change. But a boy in years, the man
nevertheless replaced the boy in his mind. He had looked upon the face
of awful things, so awful that few men could bear to behold them.

There was a certain hardening of his nature now. As he ran, and while
the feeling of horror was still upon him, the thought of vengeance
swelled into a passion. The Texans must strike back for what had been
done in the Alamo. Surely all would come when they heard the ne