continued Santa Anna--and his voice had a hard metallic quality that
rasped the boy's nerves. "You know, Stephen Austin, that I and Mexico
have endured much from the people whom you have brought within our
borders. They shed good Mexican blood at the fort, Velasco, and they
have attacked us elsewhere. They do not pay their taxes or obey our
decrees, and when I send my officers to make them obey they take down
their long rifles."

Austin smiled again, and now the watching boy thought the smile was not
sad at all. If Santa Anna took notice he gave no sign.

"But you are reasonable," continued the Mexican, and now his manner was
winning to an extraordinary degree. "It was my predecessor, Farias, who
brought you here, but I would not see you go, because I love you like a
brother, and now I have come to you, that between us we may calm your
turbulent Texans."

"But you must bear in mind," said Austin, "that our rights have been
taken from us. All the clauses of our charter have been broken, and now
your Congress has decreed that we shall have only one soldier to every
five hundred inhabitants and that all the rest of us shall be disarmed.
How are we, in a wild country, to protect ourselves from the Comanches,
Lipans and other Indians who roam everywhere, robbing and murdering?"

Austin's face, usually so benevolent, flushed and his eyes were very
bright. Ned looked intently at Santa Anna to see how he would take the
daring and truthful indictment. But the Mexican showed no confusion,
only astonishment. He threw up his hands in a vivid southern gesture and
looked at Austin in surprised reproof.