Juan Seguin by Robert E. Hollmann Page B

the cold wind.
    Travis motioned us to sit in some chairs. “Juan, our situation here is becoming serious. I thought by now that we would have received some more men. I hope that Fannin and Houston are on their way.”
    He paused and looked at the ceiling. “Of course, there is the chance that none of the messengers got through the enemy lines. I thought I would have heard something from them by now.”
    “Maybe we’ll hear something today,” Juan said. “It takes a few days to get to Fannin and Houston.”
    Travis sighed and nodded. “That’s what I’ve been telling myself. I hope that’s the case. Still, I need to send out another messenger. This time I want it to be someone who knows the area well and who speaks Spanish. Someone who can pass as a local rancher if the enemy stops them.”
    “I have several men who can do that,” Juan said. “I’ll ask for volunteers.”
    Travis shook his head. “You don’t understand, Juan. I’ve already picked the man I want to carry the message.”
    “Who is it?” Juan asked.
    Travis took a deep breath and looked at Juan. “It’s you.”
    Juan sat up straight in surprise. “Me? You can’t be serious. I can’t go off and leave my men.”
    Travis stood up and walked over to Juan. He put his hand on Juan’s shoulder. “It has to be you, Juan. Nobody knows this country better than you. You speak Spanish well. And you and your father are well known to the leaders of the government. They’ll listen to you. You must be the messenger.”
    Juan looked up at Travis. “Would you go, and leave the men you brought into the Alamo?”
    “Juan, what I’m asking you to do is to take a message to the government, tell them how badly we need more men, then lead these men back here. I’m not asking you to abandon your men. You’d be helping them and all of us by bringing us more troops.”
    Juan shook his head. “I can’t go. My horse was wounded by a cannonball that landed in the corral. He can’t carry me right now.”
    “We can fix that,” Travis said. “Jim Bowie has a fine horse. That horse is well and strong. Bowie won’t be needing it. Let’s go ask him if you can borrow his horse.”
    Juan stood up. “If I go, I want Pablo to go with me. At least one of us should make it through the enemy lines.”
    “All right,” Travis said. “Let’s go see Bowie. I want you to leave tonight.”
    We walked across the courtyard to Bowie’s room. Davy Crockett was there watching one of Bowie’s sisters-in-law wipe his head with a wet rag.
    “How’s he doing, Davy?” Juan asked.
    Davy shook his head. “Not too good. His fever won’t come down. I’m not sure he knows I’m here.”
    Travis stood back as Juan walked over to Bowie’s bed. “Jim, it’s Juan. I need to ask you something.”
    Bowie opened his eyes. They were red and he blinked as sweat ran into them. He stared at Juan.
    “Who are you?” he asked.
    “Juan. Juan Seguin.”
    Slowly Bowie recognized the man standing in front of him. “Juan. Good to see you. How are you doing?”
    “I’m fine, Jim. I need to ask a favor of you. Colonel Travis wants me to deliver a message to the government. My horse is hurt. Can I borrow your horse?”
    Bowie blinked his eyes as he listened to Juan. “Sure you can, Juan. He’s a good, strong horse. He’ll get you there fast.”
    Bowie closed his eyes and soon he was asleep. Crockett followed us as we walked outside.
    “Well,” Travis said. “Let’s get your horse ready. I have the message for you. You can leave as soon as it gets dark.”
    Juan looked at the wall where his men huddled together against the wind. “I’ll be ready, but first I need to talk to my men.”
    I followed Juan as he walked away from Travis and Crockett. I looked up at the sky. It would be dark soon.

Chapter Twenty
    The men were sitting against the wall, eating beef roasted over their small fire, as we walked up to them. Juan and I sat down and warmed our hands.
    “Do you want some