E-text prepared by David Garcia, Emmy, and the Project Gutenberg Online Distributed Proofreading Team (www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by the Kentuckiana Digital Library (http://kdl.kyvl.org/) Note: Images of the original pages are available through the Kentuckiana Digital Library. See http://kdl.kyvl.org/cgi/t/text/text-idx?c=kyetexts;cc=kyetexts;xc= 1;sid=caa2c727b67680024e59cd8a19d87559;q1=texan%20star;cite1= texan%20star;cite1restrict=title;view=toc;idno=b92-172-30119856 THE TEXAN STAR The Story of a Great Fight for Liberty by JOSEPH A. ALTSHELER Author of _The Quest of the Four_, _The Border Watch_, _The Scouts of the Valley_, etc. Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. New York 1912 PREFACE "The Texan Star," while a complete story in itself, is the first of three, projected by the author, and based upon the Texan struggle for liberty against the power of Mexico. This revolution, epic in its nature, and crowded with heroism and great events, divides itself naturally into three parts. The first phase begins in Mexico with the treacherous imprisonment of Austin, the Texan leader, the rise of Santa Anna and his attempt, through bad faith, to disarm the Texans and leave them powerless before the Indians. It culminates in the rebellion of the Texans, and their capture, in the face of great odds, of San Antonio, the seat of the Mexican power in the north. The second phase is the coming of Santa Anna with an overwhelming force, the fall of the Alamo, the massacre of Goliad and the dark days of Texas. Yet the period of gloom is relieved by the last stand of Crockett, Bowie, and their famous comrades. The third phase is the coming of light in the darkness, Houston's crowning victory at San Jacinto, and the complete victory of the Texans. The story of the Texan fight for freedom has always appealed to the author, as one of the most remarkable of modern times. CONTENTS CHAPTER I THE PRISONERS II A HAIR-CUT III SANCTUARY IV THE PALM V IN THE PYRAMID VI THE MARCH WITH COS VII THE DUNGEON UNDER THE SEA VIII THE BLACK JAGUAR IX THE RUINED TEMPLES X CACTUS AND MEXICANS XI THE LONG CHASE XII THE TRIAL OF PATIENCE XIII THE TEXANS XIV THE RING TAILED PANTHER XV THE FIRST GUN XVI THE COMING OF URREA XVII THE OLD CONVENT XVIII IN SAN ANTONIO XIX THE BATTLE BY THE RIVER XX THE WHEEL OF FIRE XXI THE TEXAN STAR XXII THE TAKING OF THE TOWN THE TEXAN STAR CHAPTER I THE PRISONERS