Belle Book
"A Tale of Two Outlaws"
by Belle Book
Part Six
(Author's notes: in this part, there will
be a duel and the end result will involve
a death. However, I plan on keeping the
death a clean one, with minimal violence.
Also, I am introducing another character
I created -- Don Andres de la Cruz.)
Los Angeles, the following day
Don Alejandro, Diego, Felipe, and
Carmen arrive in town. They were going
to keep an eye on Don Luis, since they
knew he was dangerous.
As they arrived at Victoria's
Tavern, they saw Don Luis leaving the
tavern.
"Felipe, why don't you follow
Don Luis," said Diego. "See what he's
up to."
Carmen said, "I'll go with the
boy. I want to keep an eye on Don Luis
as well. Si, I'll miss breakfast, but
I'll have some as soon as I find out
what he's up to."
"Will you promise to stay with
Felipe and not wander off?" Diego ask-
ed.
Carmen said, "I promise, Don
Diego."
So, Diego and Don Alejandro
went into the tavern while Felipe and
Carmen followed Don Luis.
Inside the tavern, Victoria
greeted them and served them break-
fast.
"Gracias, Victoria," said Don
Alejandro.
"Where is Felipe? And Senorita
Carmen?" asked Victoria.
"They'll be along," said Don
Alejandro.
"We saw Don Luis leaving the
tavern as we arrived," said Diego.
"Si," said Victoria. "He said
he wanted to look around the pueblo."
At that moment, Sergeant Men-
doza arrived at the tavern.
"Buenos dias, Sergeant," said
Victoria.
"Buenos dias," said Mendoza.
"I'm here for breakfast. What do you
have?"
"Frijoles," said Victoria.
"I'll have some," said Mendoza.
"Are there any tamales as well?"
"For lunch," said Victoria.
"Is Inez Resendo on her way to
Monterey?" asked Don Alejandro.
"Two soldiers left early this
morning with her," Mendoza said.
At that moment, all of them
heard sounds of commotion outside.
"What's going on outside?" Don
Alejandro asked.
"I don't know, but I think we
should find out," said Diego.
In fact, the few people in the
tavern for breakfast were getting up
to see what the commotion was all a-
bout. Don Alejandro, Diego, Victoria,
and Mendoza joined them.
______________________________________________________
Outside the tavern
The commotion was being caused
by Don Luis. He was speaking to a
crowd of people, which included Felipe
and Carmen.
"People of Los Angeles, lis-
ten to me," he said. "In Mexico, the
winds of change are occurring. The
head of the military, Iturbide, and
the revolutionary leader, Vincente
Guerrero, have agreed to make Mexico
independent.
"People are deserting Ferd-
inand VII and supporting him. I have
left Mexico, but I am certain that
they are still doing so there. I've
come to bring to California what is
coming to Mexico -- freedom from
Spain and Spanish tyranny!"
That's when Alcalde DeSoto,
who'd come out to listen to the com-
motion, spoke.
"How dare you attempt to in-
cite rebellion?"
"I dare because it's inevit-
able," said Don Luis.
Carmen was worried. Alcalde
DeSoto was a peninsulare, a person
born in Spain, and a very proud man,
from what she'd learned from Diego
and Don Alejandro.
And she knew well what Don
Luis was like. One of them might
well insult the other, leading to
a duel. She hoped that wouldn't
happen.
"Maybe in Mexico, it's in-
evitable, but not in California,"
said Alcalde DeSoto.
"Mexico will gain its inde-
pendence, and when it does, Cali-
fornia will join it," said Don Luis.
"That will never happen, I
am certain," said DeSoto.
"Senores," a voice from the
crowd interrupted. It was Diego.
"Senores, let's be reasonable, por
favor. Even if independence from
Spain is inevitable, surely blood-
shed isn't inevitable."
Don Luis turned to face Di-
ego. So did the Alcalde.
"So. Don Diego de la Vega.
You were always trying to stop me
in the University," Don Luis said.
"Only because you were try-
ing to provoke fights," Diego ex-
plained.
"And you still hate blood-
shed and violence," said DeSoto.
"You'd rather be reading books or
playing music or writing poetry."
Carmen knew that was not
true, but she knew better than to
say that.
She looked at Don Luis,
and saw a slightly confused look
come across his face before he re-
turned his attention to DeSoto and
said,
"You always were proud of
being a peninsulare, one born in
Spain. But you're nothing more
than a coward."
"A coward?" DeSoto cried.
"Gentlemen," Diego began,
but Don Luis continued.
"Si, a coward. You can't
face the truth about California.
California will be free, and I will
help make it free, one way or the
other."
"You will never make Cal-
ifornia free as long as I'm here,"
the Alcalde yelled. "And for your
insolent words, I challenge you to
a duel."
He slapped Don Luis in the
face with a glove. Don Luis took
a glove of his own and slapped the
Alcalde with it.
The people moved back to
give the combatants space as they
proceeded to draw their swords.
Carmen cried out, "Senores,
stop this duel! There is still time
to settle your differences!"
Neither of them paid any
attention to her. There was trou-
ble coming, and there was nothing
Carmen could do to stop it.
___________________________________________________
Diego heard Carmen try to
stop the fight. He understood why,
but he knew these two better than
Carmen, and he knew that at this
point, nothing could stop the duel.
But if Don Luis won and kill-
ed DeSoto, Zorro would pay Don Luis
a visit to prevent further trouble.
He watched as Don Luis and
DeSoto began the duel. Both men
were very good, and at first, the
two seemed dead even.
But soon, Don Luis began to
gain the upper hand. DeSoto fought
hard, but he was losing quickly.
Finally, as DeSoto was draw-
ing on his last bit of strength, he
made a mistake, and Don Luis took
advantage of it. He stabbed DeSoto
in the heart.
DeSoto fell to the ground,
as Victoria and Carmen ran to him.
Don Luis said, "With one
stroke, the path to independence
has begun!"
"Not by bloodshed," Diego
said. He went to Victoria and Car-
men, who were busy examining the
body.
"Victoria, how is he?" he
asked.
"It's too late," Victoria
said, trying to fight back tears.
"He's dead. I didn't like him, but
I didn't want him to die like this."
After a moment's hesitation,
Diego held Victoria and soothed her
as she began to cry.
Carmen looked up from the
body of DeSoto, and asked, "Who's
in charge of the garrison now?"
Mendoza, looking pale, step-
ped forward, and said, "I am, now.
And Don Luis, you are under arrest
for killing a man."
Don Luis laughed and ran
into the crowd.
Mendoza ran to get the
soldiers, as everyone else just
stared at DeSoto's body.
"I hope Zorro stops him,"
said Victoria, as Diego let her
go.
"Don't worry, he will,"
said Diego. "I'm certain about
that."
They then heard a horse
gallping away from the back of
the tavern.
Mendoza and the soldiers
ran past, but nobody who heard
the sounds believed they'd find
Don Luis.
__________________________________________________
A few minutes later
Carmen was glad Ivy and
Zack had agreed to remain inside
the church. This was proof of how
dangerous Don Luis was.
The doctor, a Dr. Hernandez,
had come to examine the body. He
confirmed the terrible fact to all
the people present.
Mendoza said that Don Luis
had gotten away, but that the sol-
diers would be on his trail soon
enough.
All but one, that is. Cor-
poral Sepuleveda would be galloping
to Monterey as fast as possible to
alert the Governor to the death of
Alcalde DeSoto. He had a letter
asking permission for fresh horses
at every mission and pueblo in the
name of the Governor.
Carmen was glad all these
steps were being taken, but she
knew the soldiers wouldn't be ve-
ry successful in capturing Don
Luis. After all, they had had
no luck in capturing Diego/Zorro.
However, Zorro would be
successful in capturing Don Luis,
if he knew where Don Luis would
be hiding.
thought Carmen.
But as she turned to ask
Victoria where Don Luis might try
to hide, she saw Diego talking
quietly to Victoria.
thought Carmen. That didn't real-
ly surprise her.
_______________________________________________
"So you think he might
have gone there, Victoria?"
"I don't know for certain,
Diego," said Victoria. "I think
so, but I'm not positive."
"Gracias anyway, Victoria,"
Diego said. He then turned to Don
Alejandro and asked, "Do you think
we should stay here or go back to
the hacienda and have breakfast
there?"
"Under the circumstances,
I don't have the desire to have
breakfast here," said Don Ale-
jandro.
"Nor do I," said Carmen.
Diego then asked Felipe
if he wished to stay in the area,
or if he wished to return to the
hacienda. Felipe signalled that
he wished to go back.
"Victoria, we must return
to the hacienda," said Don Ale-
jandro. "It has nothing to do
with you."
"I understand," said Vic-
toria. "I just hope Zorro can
find Don Luis."
Diego said, "He's a very
good tracker, from what I hear,
so I believe he'll find Don Luis.
The problem will be bringing him
to justice."
With that, all four said
goodbye to Victoria and left for
the de la Vega hacienda.
______________________________________________
Inside the de la Vega hacienda, an
hour later
After breakfast, Carmen
said, "I saw you talking to Vic-
toria. I suppose you were trying
to find out where Don Luis might
have gone?"
"How did you know?" ask-
ed Diego.
"I planned to ask her the
same question," Carmen explained.
"To help me," said Diego.
"Or to be more precise, to help
Zorro. You're correct. I did
ask Victoria where Don Luis might
have gone."
"Did she have any idea
where he might have gone?" asked
Don Alejandro.
"She doesn't know for cer-
tain, but she thinks he might have
gone to the hacienda of Don Andres
de la Cruz to the west, on the road
to San Pedro," said Diego.
"Why does she believe he
went there?" asked Carmen.
"About an hour before we
both arrived at the tavern, he
left the tavern and galloped a-
way from the tavern," Diego ex-
plained.
"He was gone for a couple
of hours, and when he returned,
she asked him where he went. He
told her he went to see Don An-
dres, whom he said he had met on
the way to Los Angeles."
"Does Don Andres support
violent revolution?" asked Car-
men. "Or is he violent?"
"He supports revolution,"
said Don Alejandro. "I fear he
doesn't care much whether it is
gradual or violent."
Diego turned to Felipe,
who made the sign of Z.
"Yes, Felipe," said Diego.
"Saddle Tornado. Zorro will be
riding tonight."
"May I accompany you?"
asked Carmen.
"That may be a problem,"
said Diego. "I don't want you
riding a de la Vega horse near
where I am. You might be seen
and that might lead the trail
back to me. But you might be
able to ride on Tornado -- if
he'll let you. If he does, you
can come with us."
Carmen nodded. Don Luis
had to be stopped. And she felt
Diego/Zorro could use all the
help he could get with Don Luis.
thought Carmen.
To be continued
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