The Silent Rifleman! A tale of the Texan prairies

General Carrera and his sta

ly came forward, and

"that we were unable to arrive hither a few hours sooner, as our presence would have,

the truth, they were not uncivil, and though we had not the power to refuse th

he; "they knew that I was at their heels. But, however, we

nd, again bowing, was on the point of leaving the apartment, and t

hed in hastily and announced that the riding-horse of the American lady had been f

im?" asked Car

alled Fr

g him

ed in between two dismounted lancers,

lady's horse i

me, who knows?-th

hot to death within five minutes. If you speak trut

to his master's face, as if to consult his eyes before replying further. H

e and bridle, with girths and hangings all complete, and cast

within a few hours, general-in the corr

ye turned silently and ste

die. Take your choic

en S

with

is cries, his struggles and entreaties, drag

mpassive as a pillar of stone, with her teeth set and her hands clenched. But for

soldier's mien and aspect,

death groan, rang through the hall, and the thin blue smoke d

," muttered he betwee

nts," roared the general,

also, to confess; if th

derly entered, and announced th

guerita; "we must have your presence in an inner chamber. Valdez, call in

, seated himself in her own arm-chair, and ordering his officers to

ow, Senorita, the doom which our laws have pronounced agains

, I kn

t

ea

very youn

t when God calls us he

ircle at her calm and dauntless resolution, but

dy gone who was

dered told you that s

lost his lif

ou know where the lad

o kn

e is

worn to b

s treason to

r procl

it? You ha

o-I

estion more-wil

ill

now the al

ea

die-so young, so beauti

ll forg

ur, as a soldier and a gentleman, do you

o kn

e is

me less firm

u sworn

e not

I comm

sternly round the circle, reading the jud

uilty of hi

silence as the questi

our se

nd uncovering, and all the others aros

d, as if by one movement, brother and sister

as if to strike-but ere the blow was dealt,

n tresses floating disheveled like a halo of glory round her, with her blue eyes filled with the ineffable lustre-the lustre of a mar

. But with me do your pleasure; I am

o assist Julia down; but as he took the first

thout, the well-known death-shot of the certain rifle-then pealed a bugle, high and

amo?" and Gordon's name was mingled with the din; and the fierce cheer of the Partisan, "Pierre,

rang to his feet, unsheathed his sword, and the other officers following his example, they

loiter in the rear, when his men are in

rrah, were it becoming me to rep

etly, "I might reply that a prisoner has no right t

urn you with my foot thus and thus!" and as he spoke he suited the action to the word, giving him a se

l to a wonder in the use of their weapons. Juan was as brave as his o

ita. "For my sake kill him! By no h

determinedly, one fighting for

the very moment she did so, it was driven inward with a loud crash, and she was clasped in the arms of Arthur Gordon. The sound of the forceful entrance, the clanking steps of his men, for the three dragoons were at h

llowed by a home lunge, Valdez had parried in succession, when he lunged in return. His foot slipped a little on the marble floor; his blade

when two of the dragoons advanced their carbines

staggered sickly, and would have falle

in Spanish. "I am a gentleman, an

ving learned by one word from Julia who he was. "I am

in safe hands, he went fo

w, by which their comrades were pouring out; and, the two currents meetin

inward, actually using their weapons, one against the other, in the madness of their despair. And st

g officer of his acquaintance. "This work is over now. For God's sake send one of your fellows f

ining up his horse. "You, Grayson, gallop

d the man, and dash

yonder to that thicket, to mount guard ove

Mexican. Halt! dress-halt! or I'll scewer some of you. That is it. Now steady. Gordon, I'll see to that-never fe

e young dragoon; "there has,

check the carnage, he was preceded in the work of charity by the bold Partisan, whom he could see mounted among the crowd of dismounted rangers, close to the ofte

ng, and giv

loop above, and he reeled in

t they forced their way bodily into the building, and woe t

etful of all else, he drove madly to the spot, sprang fr

e gallant soldier, as Gordon raised his h

t not,

my time is short; have me borne to the ladies-u

l is there, tending th

ng himself, from many wounds, stood close beside them, not having moved a yard since the fatal shot wa

, good horse. Soh! Emperor!" he added, raisi

g-loved voice, and advanced a yard or two, and rubbed his

horse with his failing hand. "I never shall back you again, good Empero

d, and the big tears burst in volumes from his eyes,

ordon, and apprise the ladies. Women are tende

ng them step by step with his head bent almost to the dust, and trai

aving dressed young Alava's wound, and was on the point of going to of

arresting him by the arm, said, earnestly, in a low voice,

hey be more required than they will b

words, and judging from the expression of his

Arthur-oh, say it i

that I

y-not fatall

r mort

burst into a paroxysm of

were, instinctively, Marguerita caught their meaning, and she utte

stened to raise her up,

no danger. It is better she shoul

," said Maxwell, wi

the first, my pistols to the latter, and this, doctor," he added, as he handed him his knife. "Yourself, Gordon, will keep my horse. Bury me in m

-most s

cold hand in her own, and listened with her whole

the motionless form of Marguerita, "you will be ki

ered Julia through her s

e for the last time, "this agony is well nigh over. She has pr

ll be my

e lived happily, and I hope not altogether uselessly, and I die happily, for I die with m

with his efforts, and lay for a long time

ain after a while, an

horse. You will be

which had followed the bearers of his master to the entrance of the arbour, and paused there, as if conscious that he must not enter, no sooner heard his own name uttered in

hee, too, if it be no sin so to pray. Thou w

sobbing. He understood the

I die a Chris-a Christian. I am go-going. Gord

k; kiss him, ki

s to his, and the pure spirit of the noble and high-minded soldier passed away in that

in the arms of lov

rs, reached the lines at Monterey in safety. Long did they mourn over that true and noble

adly and so vainly, till, in the convent which she entered with

master's body to the grave, and watched his interment with an almost human eye

nded the advance, he reared furiously, broke the leading rein by which a drag

t when he saw them drawing near, he rose to his feet with a weak, staggering action, stood for a moment

whom he would not survive, and laid him by those honoured ashes, with this motto rudely carved on a

sta la

gue

Never was better ho

E

by him at his Publishing Office, 2, Re

e

of

n

of Ne

enny

ISHE

S JA

iber's

have been repaired

otted lines under the corrections. Scroll the mou