The city, moreover, was not settling to its usual business, though there were many preparations for public and private entertainments. After passing Colonel Bowie, he met David Burnett. The shrewd statesman from New Jersey had a shadow upon his face. He stopped Doctor Worth and spoke frankly to him. “We are in greater danger now than when we were under fire,” he said. “Santa Anna will come on us like a lion from the swellings of Jordan. I wish Houston knew our position as it really is. We must either have more men to defend this city or we must blow up the Alamo and be ready to leave it at a moment’s notice.”
“Why were such favorable terms given to General Cos and his troops? I cannot understand it.”
“I will tell you an amazing fact. When Cos ran up that white flag on the Alamo, we had not a single round of ammunition left; complaisance was necessary until Cos made over to us the Mexican arms, ammunition, property and money.”
Worth turned and looked at the fort. A great red flag on which was the word T-E-X-A-S floated from its battlements, and there were two men standing on its roof, with their faces westward.
“They are the lookouts,” said Burnett, “and we have scouts through the surrounding country; but Santa Anna will come, when he comes, with tens of thousands.”
“And there is a line where even the coolest courage and the most brilliant bravery succumbs to mere numbers—Eh!”
“That is what I mean, Doctor.”
“Where is Houston?”
“On the Brazos, at the small town of Washington. The council have established headquarters there.”
Their conversation was interrupted by the ringing of a little bell, and the doleful supplications of a priest followed by a crowd of idle men and women. He was begging, “for the sake of the Holy Virgin,” alms to say masses for the soul of an unfortunate, who had not left a peso for his burial. He droned on, and no one noticed him until James Bowie stretched his tall figure, sauntered up to the monk and dropped a gold piece into his cap. He did not stay to hear the exclamations and the gracias, but with steps that rang like metal upon metal took his way to the Alamo.