208 LIFE IN THE FAR WEST 



the enemies of his country, and by whose aid he now 

 proposed to annihilate the American savages, should 

 they dare to appear before him. 



The alarm was instantly given ; peones, vagueros 

 hurried from the plains ; and milpas, warned by the 

 deep-toned bell, which soon rung out its sonorous 

 alarum. A score of mounted Indians, armed with 

 gun and lasso, dashed off to bring intelligence of the 

 enemy. The old gingall on the roof was crammed 

 with powder and bullets to the very muzzle, by the 

 frayle's own hand. Arms were brought and piled in 

 the sala, ready for use. The padre exhorted, the 

 women screamed, the men grew pale and nervous, and 

 thronged within the walls. Don Antonio, the fiery 

 Andaluz, alone remained outside, nourishing his whetted 

 sabre, and roaring to the padre, who stood on the roof 

 with lighted match, by the side of his formidable 

 cannon, not to be affrighted. " That he, the Trueba, 

 was there, with his Tizona, ready to defeat the devil 

 himself should he come on/' 



He was deaf to the entreaties of the priest to enter. 



" Siempre en el frente Ever in the van," he said, 

 " was the war-cry of the Truebas." 



But now a cloud of dust was seen approaching from 

 the plain, and presently a score of horsemen dashed 

 headlong towards the Mission. " El enemigo !" shouted 

 Fray Augustin ; and, without waiting to aim, he 

 clapped his match to the touch-hole of the gun, harm- 

 lessly pointed to the sky, and crying out, " in el nombre 

 de Dios " in God's name as he did so, was instantly 



