An odor, a touch,
or anything suggestive would make them return to his mind, unfaded and
in proper sequence like the passing of moving pictures.
The Mexicans halted in the middle of the plain and the three Texans met
them. The Mexicans did not dismount. Urrea was slightly in advance of
the other two, who were older men in brilliant uniforms, generals at
least. Ned saw at once that they meant to be haughty and arrogant to the
last degree. They showed it in the first instance by not dismounting. It
was evident that Urrea would be the chief spokesman, and his manner
indicated that it was a part he liked. He, too, was in a fine uniform,
irreproachably neat, and his handsome olive face was flushed.
"And so," he said, in an undertone and in Spanish to Ned, "we are here
face to face again. You have chosen your own trap, the Alamo, and it is
not in human power for you to escape it now."
His taunt stung, but Ned merely replied:
"We shall see."
Then Urrea said aloud, speaking in English, and addressing himself to
the two officers:
"We have come by order of General Santa Anna, President of Mexico and
Commander-in-Chief of her officers, to make a demand of you."
"A conference must proceed on the assumption that the two parties to it
are on equal terms," said Major Morris, in civil tones.
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