Thursday's Serial: "The Curse of Capistrano" by Johnston McCulley (in English) - IV

Chapter 13 - Love Comes Swiftly

                The despensero hurried to open it.

                "I regret that Don Diego is not at home, señor," he said. "He has gone to his hacienda."

                "I know as much. Don Carlos and wife and daughter are here, are they not?"

                "Don Carlos and his wife are out on a visit this evening, señor."

                "The señorita-"

                "Is here, of course."

                "In that case, I shall pay my respects to the señorita," Captain Ramón said.

                "Señor! Pardon me, but the little lady is alone."

                "Am I not a proper man?" the captain demanded.

                "It—it is scarcely right for her to receive the visit of a gentleman when her duenna is not present."

                "Who are you to speak to me of the proprieties?" Captain Ramón demanded. "Out of my way, scum! Cross me and you shall be punished. I know things concerning you."

                The face of the despensero went white at that, for the captain spoke the truth and, at a word, could cause him considerable trouble and mayhap a term in cárcel. Yet he knew what was right.

                "But, señor—" he protested.

                Captain Ramon thrust him aside with his left arm and stalked into the big living-room. Lolita sprang up in alarm when she saw him standing before her.

                "Ah, señorita, I trust that I did not startle you," he said. "I regret that your parents are absent, yet I must have a few words with you. This servant would deny me entrance, but I imagine you have nought to fear from a man with one wounded arm."

                "It—it is scarcely proper, is it, señor?" the girl asked, a bit frightened. '

                "I feel sure no harm can come of it," he said.

                He went across the room and sat down on one end of the couch and admired her beauty frankly. The despensero hovered near.

                "Go to your kitchen, fellow!" Captain Ramon commanded.

                "No; allow him to remain," Lolita begged. "My father commanded it, and he courts trouble if he leaves."

                "And if he remains. Go, fellow!"

                The servant went.

                Captain Ramón turned toward the girl again, and smiled upon her. He flattered himself that he knew women—they loved to see a man show mastery over other men.

                "More beautiful than ever, señorita," he said in a purring voice. "I really am glad to find you thus alone, for there is something I would say to you."

                "What can that be, señor?"

                "Last night at your father's hacienda I asked his permission to pay my addresses to you. Your beauty has inflamed my heart, señorita, and I would have you for my wife. Your father consented, except that he said Don Diego Vega also had received permission. So it appears that it lies between Don Diego and myself."

                "Should you speak of it, señor?" she asked.

                "Certainly Don Diego Vega is not the man for you," he went on. "Has he courage, spirit? Is he not a laughingstock because of his weakness?"

                "You speak ill of him in his own house?" the señorita asked, her eyes flashing.

                "I speak the truth, señorita. I would have your favor. Can you not look upon me with kindness? Can you not give me hope that I may win your heart and hand?"

                "Captain Ramón, all this is unworthy," she said. "It is not the proper manner, and you know it. I beg you to leave me now."

                "I await your answer, señorita."

                Her outraged pride rose up at that. Why could she not be wooed as other señoritas, in the proper fashion? Why was this man so bold in his words? Why did he disregard the conventions?

                "You must leave me," she said firmly. "This is all wrong, and you are aware of it. Would you make my name a byword, Captain Ramon? Suppose somebody was to come and find us like this-alone?"

                "Nobody will come, señorita. Can you not give me an answer?"

                "No!" she cried, starting to get to her feet. "It is not right that you should ask it. My father, I assure you, shall hear of this visit!"

                "Your father," he sneered. "A man who has the ill will of the governor. A man who is being plucked because he possessed no political sense. I fear not your father. He should be proud of the fact that Captain Ramón looks at his daughter."

                "Señor!"

                "Do not run away," he said, clutching her hand. "I have done you the honor to ask you to be my wife—"

                "Done me the honor!" she cried angrily, and almost in tears. "It is the man who is done the honor when a woman accepts him."

                "I like you when you rage," he observed. "Sit down again—beside me here. And now give me your answer."

                "Señor!"

                "You will wed me, of course. I shall intercede with the governor for your father and get a part of his estate restored. I shall take you to San Francisco de Asis, to the governor's house, where you will be admired by persons of rank."

                "Señor! Let me go!"

                "My answer, señorita! You have held me off enough."

                She wrenched away from him, confronted him with blazing eyes, her tiny hands clenched at her sides.

                "Wed with you?" she cried. "Rather would I remain a maid all my life, rather would I wed with a native, rather would I die than wed with you! I wed a caballero, a gentleman, or no man! And I cannot say that you are such!"

                "Pretty words from the daughter of a man who is about ruined."

                "Ruin would not change the blood of the Pulidos, señor. I doubt whether you understand that, evidently having ill blood yourself. Don Diego shall hear of this. He is my father's friend—"

                "And you would wed the rich Don Diego, eh, and straighten out your father's affairs? You would not wed an honorable soldier, but would sell yourself—"

                "Señor!" she shrieked.

                This was beyond endurance. She was alone, there was nobody near to resent the insult So her blood called upon her to avenge it herself.

                Like a flash of lightning her hand went forward, and came against Captain Ramón's cheek with a crack. Then she sprang backward, but he grasped her by an arm and drew her toward him.

                "I shall take a kiss to pay for that," he said. "Such a tiny bit of womanhood can be handled with one arm, thank the saints."

                She fought him, striking and scratching at his breast, for she could not reach his face. But he only laughed at her, and held her tighter until she was almost spent and breathless, and finally he threw back her head and looked down into her eyes.

                "A kiss in payment, señorita," he said. "It will be a pleasure to tame such a wild one."

                She tried to fight again, but could not. She called upon the saints to aid her. And Captain Ramón laughed more and bent his head, and his lips came close to hers.

                But he never claimed the kiss. She started to wrench away from him again, and he was forced to strengthen his arm and pull her forward. And from a corner of the room there came a voice that was at once deep and stern.

                "One moment, señor!" it said.

                Captain Ramón released the girl and whirled on one heel. He blinked his eyes to pierce the gloom of the corner; he heard Señorita Lolita give a glad cry.

                Then Captain Ramón, disregarding the presence of the lady, cursed, once and loudly, for Señor Zorro stood before him.

                He did not pretend to know how the highwayman had entered the house; he did not stop to think of it. He realized that he was without a blade at his side, and that he could not use it had he one, because of his wounded shoulder. And Señor Zorro was walking toward him from the corner.

                "Outlaw I may be, but I respect women," the Curse of Capistrano said. "And you, an officer of the army, do not, it appears. What are you doing here, Captain Ramón?"

                "And what do you here?"

                "I heard a lady's scream, which is warrant enough for caballero to enter any place, señor. It appears to me that you have broken all the conventions."

                "Perhaps the lady has broken them also."

                "Señor!" roared the highwayman. "Another thought like that and I cut you down where you stand, though you are a wounded man! How shall I punish you?"

                "Despensero! Natives!" the captain shouted suddenly. "Here is Señor Zorro! A reward if you take him!"

                The masked man laughed. "'Twill do you small good to call for help," he said. "Spend your breath in saying your prayers, rather."

                "You do well to threaten a wounded man."

                "You deserve death, señor, but I suppose I must allow you to escape that. But you will go down upon your knees and apologize to this señorita. And then you will go from this house, slink from it like the cur you are, and keep your mouth closed regarding what has transpired here. If you do not, I promise to soil my blade with your life's blood."

                "Ha!"

                "On your knees, señor, and instantly!" Señor Zorro commanded. "I have no time to waste in waiting."

                "I am an officer—"

                "On your knees!" commanded Señor Zorro again, in a terrible voice. He sprang forward and grasped Captain Ramon by his well shoulder, and threw him to the floor.

                "Quickly, poltroon! Tell the señorita that you humbly beg her pardon—which she will not grant, of course, since you are beneath speaking to—and that you will not annoy her again. Say it, or, by the saints, you have made your last speech!"

                Captain Ramón said it. And then Señor Zorro grasped him by the neck and lifted him, and propelled him to the door and hurled him into the darkness. And had his boots not been soft, Captain Ramón would have been injured more deeply, both in feelings and anatomy.

                Señor Zorro closed the door as the despensero came running into the room, to stare in fright at the masked man.

                "Señorita, I trust that I have been of service," the highwayman said. "That scoundrel will not bother you further, else he feels the sting of my blade again."

                "Oh, thank you, señor—thank you!" she cried. "I shall tell my father this good deed you have done. Despensero, get him wine!"

                There was nought for the butler to do except obey, since she had voiced the order, and he hurried from the room, pondering on the times and the manners.

                Señorita Lolita stepped to the man's side.

                "Señor," she breathed, "you saved me from insult. You saved me from the pollution of that man's lips. señor, though you deem me unmaidenly, I offer you freely the kiss he would have taken."

                She put up her face and closed her eyes.

                "And I shall not look when you raise your mask," she said.

                "It were too much, señorita," he said. "Your hand—but not your lips."

                "You shame me, señor. I was bold to offer it, and you have refused."

                "You shall feel no shame," he said.

                He bent swiftly, raised the bottom of his mask, and touched lightly her lips with his.

                "Ah, señorita," he said. "I would I were an honest man and could claim you openly. My heart is filled with love of you."

                "And mine with love of you."

                "This is madness. None must know."

                "I would not fear to tell the world, señor."

                "Your father and his fortunes! Don Diego!"

                "I love you, señor."

                "Your chance to be a great lady! Do you think I did not know Don Diego was the man you meant when we spoke in your father's patio? This is a whim, señorita."

                "It is love, señor, whether anything comes of it or not. And a Pulido does not love twice."

                "What possibly could come of it but distress?"

                "We shall see. God is good."

                "It is madness—"

                "Sweet madness, señor."

                He clasped her to him and bent his head again, and again she closed her eyes and took his kiss, only this time the kiss was longer. She made no effort to see his face.

                "I may be ugly," he said.

                "But I love you."

                "Disfigured, señorita—"

                "Still I love you."

                "What hope can we have?"

                "Go, señor, before my parents return. I shall say nothing except that you saved me from insult and then went your way again. They will think that you came to rob Don Diego. And turn honest, señor, for my sake. Turn honest, I say, and claim me. No man knows your face, and if you take off your mask forever, none ever will know your guilt. It is not as if you were an ordinary thief. I know why you have stolen—to avenge the helpless, to punish cruel politicians, to aid the oppressed. I know that you have given what you have stolen to the poor. Oh, señor!"

                "But my task is not yet done, señorita, and I feel called upon to finish it."

                "Then fi                nish it, and may the saints guard you, as I feel sure they will. And when it is finished, come back to me. I shall know you in whatever garb you come."

                "Nor shall I wait that long, señorita. I shall see you often. I could not exist else."

                "Guard yourself."

                "I shall in truth, now, since I have double reason. Life never was so sweet as now."

                He backed away from her slowly. He turned and glanced toward a window near at hand.

                "I must go," he said. "I cannot wait for the wine."

                "That was but a subterfuge so that we could be alone," she confessed.

                "Until the next time, señorita, and may it not be long."

                "On guard, señor!"

                "Always, loved one. señorita, adios!"

                Again their eyes met, and then he waved his hand at her, gathered his cloak close about his body, darted to the window, and went through it. The darkness outside swallowed him.

Chapter 14 - Captain Ramón Writes a Letter

                Picking himself up out of the dust before Don Diego Vega's door, Captain Ramón darted through the darkness to the footpath that ran up the slope toward the presidio.

                His blood was aflame with rage, his face was purple with wrath. There remained at the presidio no more than half a dozen soldiers, for the greater part of the garrison had gone with Sergeant Gonzales, and of these half-dozen four were on the sick list and two were necessary as guards.

                So Captain Ramón could not send men down to the Vega house in an effort to effect a capture of the highwayman; moreover, he decided that Señor Zorro would not remain there more than a few minutes, but would mount his horse and ride away, for the highwayman had a name for not resting long in one place.

                Besides, Captain Ramón had no wish to let it become known that this Señor Zorro had met him a second time, and had treated him much like a peon. Could he give out the information that he had insulted a señorita, and that Señor Zorro had punished him because of it, that Señor Zorro had caused him to get down upon his knees and apologize and then had kicked him through the front door like a dog?

                The captain decided it were better to say nothing of the occurrence. He supposed that Señorita Lolita would tell her parents, and that the despensero would give testimony, but he doubted whether Don Carlos would do anything about it. Don Carlos would think twice before affronting an officer of the army, being the recipient already of the governor's frowns. Ramón only hoped that Don Diego would not learn much of the happening, for if a Vega raised hand against him, the captain would have difficulty maintaining his position.

                Pacing the floor of his office, Captain Ramon allowed his wrath to grow, and thought on these things and many others. He had kept abreast of the times, and he knew that the governor arid the men about him were sorely in need of more funds to waste in riotous living. They had plucked those men of wealth against whom there was- the faintest breath of suspicion, and they would welcome a new victim.

                Might not the captain suggest one, and at the same time strengthen his own position with the governor? Would the captain dare hint that perhaps the Vega family was wavering in its loyalty to the governor?

                At least he could do one thing, he decided. He could have his revenge for the flouting the daughter of Don Carlos Pulido had given him.

                Captain Ramón grinned despite his wrath as the thought came to him. He called for writing-materials, and informed one of his well men that he should prepare for a journey, being about to be named for a courier's job.

                Ramón paced the floor for some minutes more, thinking on the matter and trying to decide just how to word the epistle he intended writing. And finally he sat down before the long table and addressed his message to his excellency the governor, at his mansion in San Francisco de Asis.

                This is what he wrote:

Your intelligences regarding this highwayman, Señor Zorro, as he is known, have come to hand. I regret that I am unable at this writing to report the rogue's capture, but I trust that you will be lenient with me in the matter, since circumstances are somewhat unusual.

I have the greater part of my force in pursuit of the fellow, with orders to get him in person or to fetch me his corpse. But this Señor Zorro does not fight alone. He is being given succor at certain places in the neighborhood, allowed to remain in hiding when necessary, given food and drink and, no doubt, fresh horses.

Within the past day he visited the hacienda of Don Carlos Pulido, a caballero known to be hostile to your excellency. I sent men there and went myself. While my soldiers took up his trail the man came from a closet in the living-room at Don Carlos's house and attacked me treacherously. He wounded me in the right shoulder, but I fought him off until he became frightened and dashed away, making his escape. I may mention that I was hindered somewhat by this Don Carlos in pursuing the man. Also, when I arrived at the hacienda, indications were that the man had been eating his evening meal there.

The Pulido hacienda is an excellent place for such a man to hide, being somewhat off the main highway. I fear that Señor Zorro makes it his headquarters when he is in this vicinity; and I await your instructions in the matter. I may add that Don Carlos scarcely treated me with respect while I was in his presence, and that his daughter, the Señorita Lolita, scarcely could keep from showing her admiration of this highwayman and from sneering at the efforts of the soldiery to capture him.

There are also indications of a famous and wealthy family of this neighborhood wavering in loyalty to your excellency, but you will appreciate the fact that I cannot write of such a thing in a missive sent-you by courier.

With deep respect,

        Ramón, Comandante and Captain, Presidio, Reina de Los Angeles.

Ramón grinned again as he finished the letter. That last paragraph, he knew, would get the governor guessing. The Vega family was about the only famous and wealthy one that would fit the description. As for the Pulidos, Captain Ramon imagined what would happen to them. The governor would not hesitate to deal out punishment, and perhaps the Señorita Lolita would find herself without protection, and in no position to reject the advances of a captain of the army.

                Now Ramón addressed himself to the task of making a second copy of the letter, intending to send one by his courier and preserve the other for his files, in case something came up and he wished to refer to it.

                Having finished the copy, he folded the original and sealed it, carried it to the soldiers' lounging-room, and gave it to the man he had selected as courier. The soldier saluted, hurried out to his horse, and rode furiously toward the north, toward San Fernando and Santa Barbara, and on to San Francisco de Asis, with the orders ringing in his ears that he should make all haste and get a change of horses at every mission and pueblo in the name of his excellency.

                Ramón returned to his office and poured out a measure of wine, and began reading over the copy of the letter. He half wished that he had made it stronger, yet he knew that it were better to make it mild, for then the governor would not think he was exaggerating.

                He stopped reading now and then to curse the name of Señor Zorro, and frequently he reflected on the beauty and grace of the Señorita Lolita and told himself she should be punished for the manner in which she had treated him.

                He supposed that Señor Zorro was miles away by this time, and putting more miles between himself and Reina de Los Angeles; but he was mistaken in that. For the Curse of Capistrano, as the soldiers called him, had not hurried away after leaving the house of Don Diego Vega.

Chapter 15 - At the Presidio

Señor Zorro had gone a short distance through the darkness to where he had left his horse in the rear of a native's hut, and there he had stood, thinking of the love that had come to him.

                Presently he chuckled as if well pleased, then mounted and rode slowly toward the path that led to the presidio. He heard a horseman galloping away from the place and thought Captain Ramón had sent a man to call back Sergeant Gonzales and the troopers and put them on the fresher trail.

                Señor Zorro knew how affairs stood at the presidio, knew to a man how many of the soldiery were there, and that four were ill with a fever, and that there was but one well man now besides the captain since one had ridden away.

                He laughed again and made his horse climb the slope slowly so as to make little noise. In the rear of the presidio building he dismounted and allowed the reins to drag on the ground, knowing that the animal would not move from the spot.

                Now he crept through the darkness to the wall of the building and made his way around it carefully until he came to a window. He raised himself on a pile of adobe bricks and peered inside.

                It was Captain Ramón's office into which he looked. He saw the comandante sitting before a table reading a letter which, it appeared, he had just finished writing. Captain Ramón was talking to himself, as does many an evil man.

                "That will cause consternation for the pretty señorita," he was saying. "That will teach her not to flaunt an officer of his excellency's forces. When her father is in the carcel charged with high treason, and his estates have been taken away, then perhaps she will listen to what I have to say."

                Señor Zorro had no difficulty in distinguishing the words. He guessed instantly that Captain Ramón had planned a revenge, that he contemplated mischief toward the Pulidos. Beneath his mask the face of Señor Zorro grew black with rage.

                He got down from the pile of adobe bricks and slipped on along the wall until he came to the corner of the building. In a socket at the side of the front door a torch was burning, and the only able-bodied man left in the garrison was pacing back and forth before the doorway, a pistol in his belt and a blade at his side.

                Señor Zorro noted the length of the man's pacing. He judged the distance accurately, and just as the man turned his back to resume his march the highwayman sprang.

                His hands closed around the soldier's throat as his knees struck the man in the back. Instantly they were upon the ground, the surprised trooper now doing his best to put up a fight. But Señor Zorro, knowing that a bit of noise might mean disaster for him, silenced the man by striking him on the temple with the heavy butt of his pistol.

                He pulled the unconscious soldier back into the shadows, gagged him with a strip torn from the end of his serape, and bound his hands and feet with other strips. Then he drew his cloak about him, looked to his pistol, listened a moment to be sure the short fight with the soldier had not attracted the attention of any inside the building, and slipped once more toward the door.

                He was inside in an instant. Before him was the big lounging-room with its hard dirt floor. Here were some long tables and bunks and wine mugs and harness and saddles and bridles. Señor Zorro gave it but a glance to assure himself that no man was there, and walked swiftly and almost silently across to the door that opened into the office of the commandante.

                He made sure that his pistol was ready for instant use, and then threw the door open boldly. Captain Ramón was seated with his back toward it, and now he whirled around in his chair with a snarl on his lips, thinking one of his men had entered without the preliminary of knocking, and ready to rebuke the man.

                "Not a sound, señor," the highwayman warned. "You die if as much as a gasp escapes your lips."

                He kept his eyes on those of the comandante, closed the door behind him, and advanced into the room. He walked forward slowly, without speaking, the pistol held ready in front of him. Captain Ramon had his hands on the table before him, and his face had gone white.

                "This visit is necessary, señor, I believe," Señor Zorro said. "I have not made it because I admire the beauty of your face."

                "What do you here?" the captain asked, disregarding the order to make no sound, yet speaking in a tone scarcely above a whisper.

                "I happened to look in at the window, señor. I saw an epistle before you on the table, and I heard you speak. 'Tis a bad thing for a man to talk to himself. Had you remained silent I might have gone on about my business. As it is—"

                "Well, señor?" the captain asked, with a bit of his old arrogance returning to him.

                "I have a mind to read that letter before you."

                "Does my military business interest you that much?"

                "As to that, we shall say nothing, señor. Kindly remove your hands from the table, but do not reach toward the pistol at your side unless you wish to die the death instantly. It would not grieve me to have to send your soul into the hereafter."

                The comandante did as he had been directed, and Señor Zorro went forward cautiously and snatched up the letter. Then he retreated a few paces again, still watching the man before him.

                "I am going to read this," he said, "but I warn you that I shall watch you closely, also. Do not make a move, señor, unless it is your wish to visit your ancestors."

                He read swiftly, and when he had finished he looked the comandante straight in the eyes for some time without speaking, and his own eyes were glittering malevolently through his mask. Captain Ramon began to feel more uncomfortable.

                Señor Zorro stepped across to the table, still watching the other, and held the letter to the flame of a candle. It caught fire, blazed, presently dropped to the floor, a bit of ash. Señor Zorro put one foot upon it

                "The letter will not be delivered," he said. "So you fight women, do you, señor? A brave officer and an ornament to his excellency's forces! I doubt not he would grant you promotion if he knew of this. You insult a señorita because her father, for the time being, is not friendly with those in power, and because she repulses you as you deserve, you set about to cause trouble for the members of her family. Truly, it is a worthy deed."

                He took a step closer and bent forward, still holding the pistol ready before him.

                "Let me not hear of you sending any letter similar to the one I have just destroyed," he said. "I regret at the present time that you are unable to stand before me and cross blades. It would be an insult to my sword to run you through, yet would I do it to rid the world of such a fellow."

                "You speak bold words to a wounded man."

                "No doubt the wound will heal, señor. And I shall keep myself informed regarding it. And when it has healed and you have back your strength, I shall take the trouble to hunt you up, and call you to account for what you have attempted doing this night. Let that be understood between us."

                Again their eyes blazed, each man's into those of the other, and Señor Zorro stepped backward and drew his cloak closer about him. To their ears there came suddenly a jangling of harness, the tramp of horses' feet, the raucous voice of Sergeant Pedro Gonzales.

                "Do not dismount!" the sergeant was crying to his men at the door. "I but make report, and then we go on after the rogue! There shall be no rest until we take him!"

                Señor Zorro glanced quickly around the room, for he knew escape by the entrance was cut off now. Captain Ramón's eyes flashed with keen anticipation.

                "Ho, Gonzales!" he shrieked before Zorro could warn him against it. "To the rescue, Gonzales! Señor Zorro is here!"

                And then he looked at the highwayman defiantly, as if telling him to do his worst

                But Señor Zorro had no desire to fire his pistol and let out the captain's lifeblood, it appeared, preferring to save him for the blade when his shoulder should have healed.

                "Remain where you are!" he commanded, and darted toward the nearest window.

                The big sergeant had heard, however. He called upon his men to follow, and rushed across the large room to the door of the office and threw it open. A bellow of rage escaped him as he saw the masked man standing beside the table, and saw the comandante sitting before it with his hands spread out before him.

                "By the saints, we have him!" Gonzales cried. "In with you, troopers! Guard the doors! Some look to the windows!"

                Señor Zorro had transferred his pistol to his left hand, and had whipped out his blade. Now he swept it forward and sidewise, and the candles were struck from the table. Zorro put his foot upon the only one that remained lighted and extinguished it in that manner—and the room was in darkness.

                "Lights! Bring a torch!" Gonzales shrieked..

                Señor Zorro sprang aside, against the wall, and made his way around it rapidly while Gonzales and two other men sprang into the room, and one remained guarding the door; while in the other room several ran to get a torch, and managed to get in one another's way.

                The man with the torch came rushing through the door finally, and he shrieked and went down with a sword blade through his breast, and the torch fell to the floor and was extinguished. And then, before the sergeant could reach the spot, Señor Zorro was back in the darkness again and could not be found.

                Gonzales was roaring his curses now and searching for the man he wished to slay, and the captain was crying to him to be careful and not put his blade through a trooper by mistake. The other men were storming around; in the other room one came with a second torch.

                Zorro's pistol spoke, and the torch was shot from the man's hand. The highwayman sprang forward and stamped upon it, putting it out, and again retreated to the darkness, changing his position rapidly, listening for the deep breathing that would tell him the exact location of his various foes.

                "Catch the rogue!" the comandante was shrieking. "Can one man thus make fools of the lot of you?"

                Then he ceased to speak, for Señor Zorro had grasped him from behind and shut off his wind, and now the highwayman's voice rang out above the din.

                "Soldiers, I have your captain! I am going to carry him before me and back out the door. I am going to cross the other room and so reach the outside of the building. I have discharged one pistol, but I am holding its mate at the base of the captain's brain. And when one of you attacks me, I fire, and you are without a captain."

                The captain could feel cold steel at the back of his head, and he shrieked for the men to use caution. And Señor Zorro carried him to the doorway and backed out with the captain held in front of him, while Gonzales and the troopers followed as closely as they dared, watching every move, hoping for a chance to catch him unaware.

                He crossed the big lounging-room of the presidio and so came to the outside door. He was somewhat afraid of the men outside, for he knew that some of them had run around the building to guard the windows. The torch was still burning just outside the door, and Señor Zorro put up his hand and tore it down and extinguished it. But still there would be grave danger the moment he stepped out.

                Gonzales and the troopers were before him, spread out fan-fashion across the room, bending forward, waiting for a chance to get in a blow. Gonzales held a pistol in his hand—though he made out to despise the weapon—and was watching for an opportunity to shoot without endangering the life of his captain.

                "Back, señores!" the highwayman commanded now. "I would have more room in which to make my start. That is it—I thank you. Sergeant Gonzales, were not the odds so heavy, I might be tempted to play at fence with you and disarm you again."

                "By the saints—"

                "Some other time, my sergeant. And now, señores, attention! It desolates me to say it, but I had only the one pistol. What the captain has been feeling all this time at the base of his brain is nought except a bridle buckle I picked up from the floor. Is it not a pretty jest? Señores, adios!"

                Suddenly he whirled the captain forward, darted into the darkness, and started toward his horse with the whole pack at his heels and pistol flashes splitting the blackness of the night and bullets whistling by his head. His laughter came back to them on the stiffening breeze that blew in from the distant sea.