“She is the English for Jeanningros, the French general at Monterey, who’d heard about those negotiations with the República. But Shelby formed in battle line, to storm his old city, and at the same time sent word explaining that he hadn’t accepted any offer from the República. So, instead of shooting and hanging, Jenny asked us around for supper. That’s where I left ’em.”
“What for?”
“W’y,” said Boone in surprise, “to see if you’d gotten here, and to take back Maximilian’s answer.”
“But what’s the use? The Trans-Mississippi went and surrendered.”
“Gra-cious, but you’re in a vicious humor! Now, here’s the use. Instead of fifty thousand, we’re only one thousand, I know. But there are hundreds and hundreds of Americans 283down here like us, and all of ’em wanting service. There’s that colony just starting at Córdova near Vera Cruz. But they’d fight, if there was an American to lead them, and more yet ’ud come from the States. Quicker’n that, Old Joe will have a division.”
Driscoll ruefully shook his head. “Maximilian wants us,” he said, “if we’ll give up our arms first.”
“If we––”
“If we will surrender, Dan.”
Mr. Boone’s jaw fell. The phrase that would measure the depth of the proposed ignominy would not come. Finally, he dug from his pocket a bright new gold coin, twenty pesos, and contemplated reflectively the side that bore Maximilian’s effigy.
“I’ve got the cub repohter’s superstition,” he said at last. “You get your cards printed,” here he tapped the coin significantly, “and you’re sure to lose your job–still we might of helped him.”