of some fine horses； and sell them well for him in San
Antonio。 When a man does us a kindness； we should say thank
you。〃
〃That is truth； if the man is not the Evil One。 As for this
Sam Houston； you should have heard what was said of him at the
Valdez's。〃
〃I did hear。 Everything was a lie。〃
〃But he is a very common man。〃
〃Maria； do you call a soldier； a lawyer； a member of the
United States Congress； a governor of a great State like
Tennessee； a common man？ Houston has been all of these
things。〃
〃It is； however； true that he has lived with Indians； and with
those Americans； who are bad； who have no God； who are
infidels； and perhaps even cannibals。 If he is a good
man； why does he live with bad men？ Not even the saints could
do that。 A good man should be in his home。 Why does he not
stay at home。〃
〃Alas！ Maria； that is a woman's fault。 He loved a beautiful
girl。 He married her。 My dear one； she did not bless his
life as you have blessed mine。 No one knows what his sorrow
was； for he told no one。 And he never blamed her； only he
left his high office and turned his back forever on his home。〃
〃Ah！ the cruel woman。 Holy Virgin； what hard hearts thou hast
to pray for！〃
〃Come down and smile upon him； Maria。 I should like him to
see a high…born Mexican lady。 Are they not the kindest and
fairest among all God's women？ I know； at least； Maria； that
you are kind and fair〃； and he took her hands； and drew her
within his embrace。
What good wife can resist her husband's wooing？ Maria did
not。 She lifted her face； her eyes shone through happy tears；
she whispered softly： 〃My Robert； it is a joy to please you。
I will be kind； I will be grateful about Thomas。 You
shall see that I will make a pleasant evening。〃
So the triumphant husband went down； proud and happy； with his
smiling wife upon his arm。 Isabel was already in the room。
She also wore a white frock； but her hair was pinned back with
gold butterflies； and she had a beautiful golden necklace
around her throat。 And the Senora kept her word。 She paid
her guest great attention。 She talked to him of his
adventures with the Indians。 She requested her daughters to
sing to him。 She told him stories of the old Castilian
families with which she was connected； and described her visit
to New Orleans with a great deal of pleasant humor。 She felt
that she was doing herself justice； that she was charming；
and； consequently； she also was charmed with the guest and the
occasion which had been so favorable to her。
After the ladies had retired； the doctor led his visitor into
his study。 He sat down silently and placed a chair for
Houston。 Both men hesitated for a moment to open the
conversation。 Worth； because he was treading on unknown
ground； Houston； because he did not wish to force； even by
a question； a resolution which he felt sure would come
voluntarily。
The jar of tobacco stood between them； and they filled their
pipes silently。 Then Worth laid a letter upon the table； and
said： 〃I unstand｛sic｝ from this； that my son Thomas thinks
the time has come for decisive action。〃
〃Thomas Worth is right。 With such souls as his the foundation
of the state must be laid。〃
〃I am glad Thomas has taken the position he has； but you must
remember； sir； that he is unmarried and unembarrassed by many
circumstances which render decisive movement on my part a much
more difficult thing。 Yet no man now living has watched the
Americanizing of Texas with the interest that I have。〃
〃You have been long on the watch； sir。〃
〃I was here when my countrymen came first； in little companies
of five or ten men。 I saw the party of twenty； who joined the
priest Hidalgo in eighteen hundred and ten； when Mexico made
her first attempt to throw off the Spanish yoke。〃
〃An unsuccessful attempt。〃
〃Yes。 The next year I made a pretended professional journey
to Chihuahua； to try and save their lives。 I failed。
They were shot with Hidalgo there。〃
〃Yet the strife for liberty went on。〃
〃It did。 Two years afterwards； Magee and Bernardo； with
twelve hundred Americans； raised the standard of independence
on the Trinity River。 I saw them them｛sic｝ take this very
city； though it was ably defended by Salcedo。 They fought
like heroes。 I had many of the wounded in my house。 I
succored them with my purse。
〃It was a great deed for a handful of men。〃
〃The fame of it brought young Americans by hundreds here。 To
a man they joined the Mexican party struggling to free
themselves from the tyranny of old Spain。 I do not think any
one of them received money。 The love of freedom and the love
of adventure were alike their motive and their reward。〃
〃Mexico owed these men a debt she has forgotten。〃
〃She forgot it very quickly。 In the following year； though
they had again defended San Antonio against the Spaniards； the
Mexicans drove all the Americans out of the city their rifles
had saved。〃
〃You were here； tell me the true reason。〃
〃It was not altogether ingratitude。 It was the instinct of
self…preservation。 The very bravery of the Americans made the
men whom they had defended hate and fear them； and there was
a continual influx of young men from the States。 The Mexicans
said to each other： ‘There is no end to these Americans。
Very soon they will make a quarrel and turn their arms against
us。 They do not conform to our customs； and they will not
take an order from any officer but their own。'〃
Houston smiled。 〃It is away the Saxon race has；〃 he said。
〃The old Britons made the same complaint of them。 They went
first to England to help the Britons fight the Romans； and
they liked the country so well； they determined to stay there。
If I remember rightly the old Britons had to let them do so。〃
〃It is an old political situation。 You can go back to Genesis
and find Pharaoh arguing about the Jews in the same manner。〃
〃What happened after this forcible expulsion of the American
element from Texas？〃
〃Mexican independence was for a time abandoned； and the
Spanish viceroys were more tyrannical than ever。 But
Americans still came； though they pursued different tactics。
They bought land and settled on the great rivers。 In eighteen
twenty…one； Austin； with the permission of the Spanish viceroy
in Mexico； introduced three hundred families。〃
〃That was a step in the right direction； but I am astonished
the viceroy sanctioned it。〃
〃Apodoca； who was then viceroy； was a Spaniard of the proudest
type。 He had very much the same contempt for the Mexicans
that an old English viceroy in New York had for the colonists
he was sent to govern。 I dare say any of them would have
permitted three hundred German families to settle in some part
of British America； as far from New York as Texas is from
Mexico。 I do not need to tell you that Austin's colonists are
a band of choice spirits； hardy working men； trained in the
district schools of New England and New Yorknearly every one
of them a farmer or mechanic。〃
〃They were the very material liberty needed。 They have made
homes。〃
〃That is the truth。 The fighters who preceded them owned
nothing but their horses and their rifles。 But these men
brought with them their wives and their children； their
civilization； their inborn love of freedom and national faith。
They accepted the guarantee of the Spanish government； and
they expected the Spanish government to keep its promises。〃
〃It did not。〃
〃It had no opportunity。 The colonists were hardly settled
when the standard of revolt against Spain was again raised。
Santa Anna took the field for a republican form of government；
and once more a body of Americans； under the Tennesseean；
Long； joined the Mexican army。〃
〃I remember that； well。〃
〃In eighteen twenty…four； Santa Anna； Victoria and Bravo drove
the Spaniards forever from Mexico； and then they promulgated
the famous constitution of eighteen twenty…four。 It was a
noble constitution； purely democratic and federal； and the
Texan colonists to a man gladly swore to obey it。 The form
was altogether elective； and what particularly pleased the
American element was the fact that the local government of
every State was left to itself。〃
Houston laughed heartily。 〃Do you know； Worth；〃 he said；
〃State Rights is our political religion。 The average American
citizen would expect the Almighty to conform to a written
constitution； and recognize the rights of mankind。〃
〃I don't think he expects more than he gets； Houston。 Where
is there a grander constitution than is guaranteed to us in
His Word； or one that more completely recognizes the rights of
all humanity？〃
〃Thank you； Worth。 I see that I have spoken better than I
knew。 I was sitting in the United States Congress； when this
constitution passed； and very much occupied with the politics
of Tennessee。〃
〃I will not detain you with Mexican politics。 It may be
briefly said that for the last ten years there has been a
constant fight between Pedraza； Guerrero； Bustamante and Santa
Anna for the Presidency of Mexico。 After so much war and
misery the country is now ready to resign all the blessings
the constitution of eighteen twenty…four promised her。 For
peace she is willing to have a dictator in Santa Anna。〃
〃If Mexicans want a dictator let them bow down to Santa Anna！
But do you think the twenty thousand free…born Americans in
Texas are going to have a dictator？ They will have the
constitution of eighteen twenty…fouror they will have
independence； and make their own constitution！ Yes； sir！〃
〃You know the men for whom you speak？〃
〃I have been up and down among them for two years。 Just after
I came to Texas I was elected to the convention which sent
Stephen Austin to Mexico with a statement of our wrongs。 Did
we get any redress？ No； sir！ And as for poor Austin； is he
not in the dungeons of the Inquisition？ We have waited two
years for an answer。 Great heavens Doctor； surely that is
long enough！〃
〃Was this convention a body of any influence？〃
〃Influence！ There were men there whose names will never be
forgotten。 They met in a log house； they wore buckskin and
homespun； but I tell yo