260 IN THE OLD WEST 



ing like mad across the level. The little steady 

 line of the mountaineers advanced, and puffs of 

 smoke arose as they loaded and discharged their 

 rifles at the flying horsemen. As the Americans 

 came on, however, one was seen to totter in his sad- 

 dle, the rifle fell from his grasp, and he tumbled 

 headlong to the ground. For an instant his com- 

 panions surrounded the fallen man, but again 

 forming, dashed towards the Mission, shouting 

 fierce war-whoops, and brandishing aloft their 

 long and heavy rifles. Of the defeated Califor- 

 nians some jumped off their horses at the door of 

 the Mission, and sought shelter within ; others gal- 

 loped off towards the sierra in panic-stricken 

 plight. Before the gate, however, still paced 

 valiantly the proud hidalgo, encumbered with his 

 cloak, and waving with difficulty his sword above 

 his head. To the priest and women, who implored 

 him to enter, he replied with cries of defiance, 

 " Viva Carlos Quinto! " and " Death or glory ! " 

 He shouted in vain to the flying crowd to halt; 

 but, seeing their panic was beyond hope, he 

 clutched his weapon more firmly as the Americans 

 dashed at him, closed his teeth and his eyes, 

 thought once of the vega of his beloved Genii, and 

 of Granada la Florida, and gave himself up for 

 lost. Those inside the Mission, when they ob- 

 served the flight of their cavalry, gave up the de- 

 fense as hopeless ; and already the charging moun- 

 taineers were almost under the walls, when they 



