find the curse of a poor priest an inconvenience."

He crossed himself at the door, and cast a last look at the Senora, who
had thrown herself upon her knees, and was crying out to Mary and the
saints in a passion of excuses and reproaches. She was deaf to all her
husband said. She would not suffer Antonia to approach her. She felt
that now was the hour of her supreme trial. She had tolerated the
rebellion of her husband, and her sons, and her daughter, and now she
was justly punished. They had driven away from her the confessor, and
the maid who had been her counsellor and her reliance from her girlhood.

Her grief and terror were genuine, and therefore pitiful; and, in spite
of his annoyance, the doctor recognized the fact. In a moment, as soon
as they were alone, he put aside his anger. He knelt beside her,
he soothed her with tender words, he pleaded the justice of his
indignation. And ere long she began to listen to his excuses, and to
complain to him:

He had been born a heretic, and therefore might be excused a little,
even by Almighty God. But Antonia! Her sin was beyond endurance. She
herself, and the good Sisters, and Fray Ignatius, had all taught her in
her infancy the true religion. And her Roberto must see that this was
a holy war--a war for the Holy Catholic Church. No wonder Fray Ignatius
was angry.

"My dear Maria, every church thinks itself right; and all other churches
wrong. God looks at the heart. If it is right, it makes all worship
true. But when the Americans have won Texas, they will give to every one
freedom to worship God as they wish."

"Saints in heaven, Roberto! That day comes not. One victory! Bah! That
is an accident. The Mexicans are a very brave people,--the bravest in
the world. Did they not drive the Spaniards out of their country; and
it is not to be contradicted that the Spaniards have conquered all other
nations. That I saw in a book. The insult the Americans have given
to Mexico will be revenged. Her honor has been compromised before the
world. Very well, it will be made bright again; yes, Fray Ignatius says
with blood and fire it will be made bright."

"And in the mean time, Maria, we have taken from them the city they love
best of all. An hour ago I saw, General Cos, with eleven hundred Mexican
soldiers, pass before a little band of less than two hundred Americans
and lay down their arms. These defenders of the Alamo had all been
blessed by the priests. Their banners had b