ORDERS FOR ARREST
Captain Ramón's courier, sent north with the letter for the governor,
had dreams of gay times in San Francisco de Asis before returning to
his _presidio_ at Reina de Los Angeles. He knew a certain _señorita_
there whose beauty caused his heart to burn.
So he rode like a fiend after leaving his _comandante's_ office,
changed mounts at San Fernando and at a _hacienda_ along the way, and
galloped into Santa Barbara a certain evening just at dusk, with the
intention of changing horses again, getting meat and bread and wine at
the _presidio_, and rushing on his way.
And at Santa Barbara his hopes of basking in the _señorita's_ smiles
at San Francisco de Asis were cruelly shattered. For before the door
of the _presidio_ there was a gorgeous carriage that made Don Diego's
appear like a _carreta_, and a score of horses were tethered there,
and more troopers than were stationed at Santa Barbara regularly moved
about the highway, laughing and jesting with one another.
The governor was in Santa Barbara!
His excellency had left San Francisco de Asis some days before on a
trip of inspection, and intended to go as far south as San Diego de
Alcála, strengthening his political fences, rewarding his friends, and
awarding punishment to his enemies.
He had reached Santa Barbara an hour before, and was listening to the
report of the _comandante_ there, after which he intended remaining
during the night with a friend. His troopers were to be given quarters
at the _presidio_, of course, and the journey was to continue on the
morrow.
Captain Ramón's courier had been told that the letter he carried was
of the utmost importance, and so he hurried to the office of the
_comandante_ and entered it like a man of rank.
"I come from Captain Ramón, _comandante_ at Reina de Los Angeles, with
a letter of importance for his excellency!" he reported, standing
stiffly at salute.
The governor grunted and took the letter, and the _comandante_ motioned
for the courier to withdraw. His excellency read the letter with speed,
and when he had finished there was an unholy gleam in his eyes, and he
twirled his mustache with every evidence of keen satisfaction. And then
he read the letter again, and frowned.
He liked the thought that he could crush Don Carlos Pulido more, but he
disliked to think that Señor Zorro, the man who had affronted him, was
still at liberty. He got up and paced the floor for a time, and then
whirled upon the _comandante_.
"I shall leave for the south at sunrise," he said. "My presence is
urgently needed at Reina de Los Angeles. You will attend to things.
Tell that courier he shall ride back with my escort. I go now to the
house of my friend."
And so, in the morning, the governor started south, his escort of
twenty picked troopers surrounding him, the courier in their midst. He
traveled swiftly, and on a certain day at mid-morning entered the plaza
of Reina de Los Angeles unheralded. It was the same morning that Don
Diego rode to the Pulido _hacienda_ in his carriage, taking his guitar
with him.
The cavalcade stopped before the tavern, and the fat landlord almost
suffered an apoplexy because he had not been warned of the governor's
coming, and was afraid he would enter the inn and find it in a dirty
state.
But the governor made no effort to leave his carriage and enter the
tavern. He was glancing around the square, observing many things. He
never felt secure concerning the men of rank in this _pueblo_; he felt
that he did not have the proper grip on them.
Now he watched carefully as news of his arrival was spread and certain
_caballeros_ hurried to the plaza to greet him and make him welcome. He
noted those who appeared to be sincere, observed those who were in no
particular haste to salute him, and noticed that several were absent.
Business must receive his first attention, he told them, and he must
hasten up to the _presidio_. After that he would gladly be the guest
of any of them. He accepted an invitation, and ordered his driver to
proceed. He was remembering Captain Ramón's letter, and he had not
seen Don Diego Vega in the plaza.
Sergeant Gonzales and his men were away pursuing Señor Zorro, of
course, and so Captain Ramón himself was awaiting his excellency at the
_presidio_ entrance, and saluted him gravely, and bowed low before him,
and ordered the commander of the escort to take charge of the place and
police it, stationing guards in honor of the governor.
He led his excellency to the private office, and the governor sat down.
"What is the latest news?" he asked.
"My men are on the trail, excellency. But, as I wrote, this pest of a
Señor Zorro has friends--a legion of them, I take it. My sergeant has
reported that twice he found him with a band of followers."
"They must be broken up, killed off!" the governor cried. "A man of
that sort always can get followers, and yet more followers, until
he will be so strong that he can cause us serious trouble. Has he
committed any further atrocities?"
"He has, excellency. Yesterday a _fray_ from San Gabriel was whipped
for swindling. Señor Zorro caught the witnesses against him on the
highroad, and whipped them almost to death. And then he rode into the
_pueblo_ just at dusk, and had the _magistrado_ whipped.
"My soldiers were away looking for him at the time. It appears that
this Señor Zorro knows the movements of my force, and always strikes
where the troopers are not."
"Then spies are giving him warnings?"
"It appears so, excellency. Last night some thirty young _caballeros_
rode after him, but did not find track of the scoundrel. They returned
this morning."
"Was Don Diego Vega with them?"
"He did not ride out with them, but he returned with them. It seems
that they picked him up at his father's _hacienda_. You perhaps
guessed that I meant the Vegas in my letter. I am convinced now, your
excellency, that my suspicions in that quarter were unjust. This Señor
Zorro even invaded Don Diego's house one night while Don Diego was
away."
"How is this?"
"But Don Carlos Pulido and his family were there."
"Ha! In Don Diego's house? What is the meaning of that?"
"It is amusing," said Captain Ramón, laughing lightly. "I have heard
that Don Alejandro ordered Don Diego to get him a wife. The young man
is not the sort to woo women. He is lifeless."
"I know the man. Proceed!"
"So he rides straightway to the _hacienda_ of Don Carlos and asks
permission to pay his addresses to Don Carlos's only daughter. Señor
Zorro was abroad, and Don Diego, going to his own _hacienda_ on
business, asked Don Carlos to come to the _pueblo_ with his family,
where it would be safer, and occupy his house until he returned. The
Pulidos could not refuse, of course. And Señor Zorro, it appears,
followed them."
"Ha! Go on!"
"It is laughable that Don Diego fetched them here to escape Señor
Zorro's wrath, when, in reality, they are hand in glove with the
highwayman. Remember, this Señor Zorro had been at the Pulido
_hacienda_. We got word from a native, and almost caught him there.
He had been eating a meal. He was hiding in a closet, and while I was
alone there and my men searching the trails, he came from the closet,
ran me through the shoulder from behind, and escaped."
"The low scoundrel!" the governor exclaimed. "But do you think there
will be a marriage between Don Diego and the Señorita Pulido?"
"I imagine there need be no worry in that regard, excellency. I am of
the opinion that Don Diego's father put a flea in his ear. He probably
called Don Diego's attention to the fact that Don Carlos does not stand
very high with your excellency, and that there are daughters of other
men who do.
"At any rate, the Pulidos returned to their _hacienda_ after Don
Diego's return. Don Diego called upon me here at the _presidio_, and
appeared to be anxious that I would not think him a man of treason."
"I am glad to hear it. The Vegas are powerful. They never have been my
warm friends, yet never have they raised hands against me, so I cannot
complain. It is good sense to keep them friendly, if that be possible.
But these Pulidos--"
"Even the _señorita_ appears to be giving aid to this highwayman,"
Captain Ramón said. "She boasted to me of what she called his courage.
She sneered at the soldiers.
"Don Carlos Pulido and some of the _frailes_ are protecting the
man, giving him food and drink, hiding him, sending him news of the
troopers' whereabouts. The Pulidos are hindering our efforts to capture
the rogue. I would have taken steps, but I thought it best to inform
you and await your decision."
"There can be but one decision in such a case," said the governor
loftily. "No matter how good a man's blood may be, or what his rank, he
cannot be allowed to commit treason without suffering the consequences.
I had thought that Don Carlos had learned his lesson, but it appears
that he has not. Are any of your men in the _presidio_?"
"Some who are ill, excellency."
"That courier of yours returned with my escort. Does he know the
country well hereabouts?"
"Certainly, excellency. He has been stationed here for some little
time."
"Then he can act as guide. Send half my escort at once to the
_hacienda_ of Don Carlos Pulido. Have them arrest the don and fetch him
to _carcel_, and incarcerate him there. That will be a blow to his high
blood! I have had quite enough of these Pulidos."
"And the haughty _doña_, who sneered at me, and the proud _señorita_
who scorned the troopers?"
"Ha! It is a good thought! It will teach a lesson to all in this
locality. Have them fetched to _carcel_ and incarcerated also!" the
governor said.