Gone to Texas by Don Worcester Read Free Book Online Page A

didn’t even kiss her.” Two soldiers arrived.
    â€œYou must come with us,” they told him.
    â€œWhere?” Ellis asked.
    â€œTo the cuartel at San Jerónimo.” The barracks were a dozen miles from Chihuahua.
    Early in 1807, twenty-two ragged American soldiers were marched into the cuartel in Chihuahua, but the guard refused to allow Nolan’s men to talk with them. “Who are they?” Duncan asked a Spanish officer who had been friendly ever since Duncan had repaired his weapons.
    â€œThey were with a Lieutenant Pike on the Rio Bravo above Sante Fe, in Spanish territory,” he answered. “They were arrested and brought here so General Salcedo could question them.”
    â€œWhere is Lieutenant Pike?”
    â€œHe and a Dr. Robinson are at the house of Juan Pedro Walker, but don’t toy to see them. The General forbade it.” Walker, an American, was commandant of the military academy, and Nolan’s slave, Caesar, lived with him as a servant.
    Lieutenant Pike came to the plaza one morning to buy a straw hat, and stopped by Ellis, who had a stack of hats of all sizes. “You must be Lieutenant Pike,” Ellis said. “I’m Ellis Bean, one of the Nolan men. They wouldn’t allow us to talk to you.” Pike looked around to see if any soldiers were watching.
    â€œI know,” he replied. “But one of your men managed to slip away and see me. David Fero. He was a lieutenant in my father’s battalion. He begged me with tears in his eyes to get him out of here. I promised to do all I could for the lot of you. I’m going to send the Natchez Herald the information he gave me on all of the prisoners, so their families will know they’re alive.” He paused and looked around again. “I told General Salcedo the circumstances of your being with Nolan, that you were all innocent of wrong-doing and should be set free. He said he rescued you from a dungeon and has given you all the freedom it is in his power to give. Now it’s up to the king.”
    Late in April, Pike and a few of his men, along with Dr. Robinson, were escorted to San Antonio on the way to Natchitoches. A month later, Ellis’ friend Moreno stopped in the plaza, as he often did. He shook hands without smiling. “I just learned that the viceroy has reprimanded General Salcedo for releasing Pike,” he said. “It doesn’t sound good for the rest of you.” He went on his way, shaking his head.
    Ellis pondered his words. The only news we ever get is bad, he thought, feeling sick. They’ll never let us go. We’ll all die here without ever seeing our families again.
    One day early the following November, a soldier summoned Duncan to the cuartel , where he saw Joseph Reed, William Danlin, and Jonah Waters. Without explanation, they were locked in a room in the barracks. A few days later, Ellis, Ephraim Blackburn, David Fero, Zalmon Cooley, and Luciano Garcia were brought from San Carlos and San Jeronimo and placed in the same room.
    â€œDoes anyone know why we’re here?” Fero asked.
    â€œMaybe at last they’re going to set us free,” Blackburn answered hopefully. “It’s high time they let us go.”
    Wondering if that could be true, the prisoners waited, trying to recall their nearly forgotten homes and families. The next morning, Ellis turned pale when three black-robed priests solemnly entered the room to hear their confessions, for he knew that was what the Spaniards always did when men were about to be executed. Most were afraid to inquire about their fate, but Fero asked, “Does this mean we’ll be put to death?”
    â€œWe don’t know, señor," a priest answered. “They haven’t told us. Perhaps some of you may be.”
    â€œI guess I’m the one they’re after,” Ellis said gloomily, and some of the others nodded in agreement. “But if they’ve decided to shoot