"I meet you here again then, my friend," the Jaguar said sadly. "Yes," the young officer answered; "fatality seems determined to keep us in constant opposition." "On examining the height and strength of your walls," the Independent continued, "I had already recognized the difficulties of the task forced on me; these difficulties have now grown almost into impossibilities." "Alas, my friend, fate wills it so, we are forced to submit to its caprices; and while in my heart deploring what takes place, I am yet resolved to do my duty as a man of honour, and die in the breach, with my breast turned toward you." "I know it, brother, and cannot feel angry with you; for I too am resolved to carry out the difficult task imposed on me." "Such are the terrible exigencies of civil war, that the men most inclined to esteem and love one another, are compelled to be foes." "God and our country will judge us, friend, and our consciences will absolve us; men are not combating, but principles fatally placed in opposition." "I was not aware that you were the Chief of the insurrectionary bands that have invested the place, although a secret foreboding warned me of your presence." "That is strange," the Jaguar muttered, "for I also felt the foreboding to which you allude; that is why I so strongly insisted on having an interview with the Commandant of the hacienda." "The same reason urged me, on the contrary, not to show myself; but I thought I must yield to your entreaty, and hence here I am; I swear to you that I should have wished to avoid this interview, which is so painful to both of us, in consequence of our mutual feelings." "It is better that it should have taken place; now that we have had a frank explanation, we shall be better fitted to do our duty." "You are right, friend; it is perhaps better that it should be so; let me press your honest hand for the last time, and then each of us will resume his part." "Here is my hand, friend," the young Chief made answer. The two men heartily shook hands, and then fell back a few paces, making a signal to their respective escorts to rejoin them. When the officers were ranged behind the Chiefs, the Jaguar ordered his bugler to sound the summons; the latter obeyed, and the Mexican trumpet immediately replied. The Jaguar then advanced two paces, and courteously took off his hat to the Colonel. "With whom have I the honour of speaking?" he asked. "I am," the officer replied, returning the salute, "Colonel Don Juan Melendez de Gongora, invested by General Don José Maria Rubio, Commander-in-Chief of the Mexican forces in Texas, with the military government of the Larch-tree hacienda, which present circumstances have raised to the rank of a first class fortress; and who may you be, Caballero?" "I," the Jaguar answered, as he drew himself up, and placed his hat again on his head, "am the Supreme Chief of the Confederated Army of Texas."