"Seņorita Alvarado, I don't need to ask why you are here. You and I are both interested in the health of your friend, but for different reasons," he said, as he helped Tessa and Marta from the wagon.

They found Helm standing by Mohammed's bed when they entered. He looked up and shook his head.

"No," cried Tessa, and she tried to fling herself on Mohammed's body, only to be restrained by Helm.

"I am sorry, Seņorita Alvarado, but he lost too much blood. I couldn't save him. Colonel. You got one thing you wanted, a dead Moor."

"I can still hang his body up in the square," said Montoya.

Tessa whirled on Montoya.

"How dare you, Colonel. Does the sanctity of life mean nothing to you? This man only wanted to leave here and you sent men to hunt him down and kill him. Now he is dead and are you satisfied? No. You want to desecrate his body. His only crime was to be different than us. Shame on you. May you be cursed by God and Allah if you even touch his body."

Montoya recoiled at the blistering attack.

"Seņorita, please. I have no wish to upset you any further. I will not touch him, but since he is not Christian, I cannot allow him to be buried in our pueblo's cemetery."

"Colonel, I am sorry for my outburst. I am overwrought with sorrow about the death of my friend. I will take his body and bury him on my rancho," said Tessa. "Please have someone send Vlad here. He can build a casket." She started to slump into a chair.

A short while later, Vlad came and built the casket. With his help, Doctor Helm placed the body in it. He called a soldier.

"Where is his sword? The man was a warrior. It is only fitting for him to be buried with it. The soldier left, returned a few minutes later and surrendered the weapon to Helm. Before the lid was closed, Helm took some powder and sprinkled it over the body. Vlad hammered the nails into the coffin.

Helm, Vlad and six soldiers picked up the casket and placed it into Tessa's wagon. Vlad left the hammer in the wagon bed. Tessa, Helm and Marta got into the wagon and drove out of Santa Elena. They traveled at a slow pace and took a shortcut through an arroyo. They paused a few minutes to rest the horses and then drove off.

Suddenly, Montoya and Grisham, leading a column of six soldiers, caught up with the wagon.

"Seņorita, I realized that the three of you would need help in removing the casket. My men will help you," said Montoya.

"Thank you Colonel, I appreciate your help," said Tessa.

At the hacienda, three soldiers dug a grave and the six soldiers, Grisham and Helm lowered the casket into the hole and shoveled in the dirt. As the last shovel-full was placed on the grave, Montoya ordered two soldiers to stand guard for twenty-four hours to prevent a disturbance of the grave.

On the way back to town, Grisham turned to Montoya. "You suspect something Colonel. What is it?"

"I know the man was not a Christian, but don't you find it odd that Seņorita Alvarado wanted him buried immediately? I suspect that he is not really dead but unconscious. I am sure they will try to dig him out of the grave as soon as we are out of sight."

"What happens if they don't?"

"Then, either their friend is really dead or soon will be. Either way, we are rid of him. Tell me Grisham, how heavy was the casket?"

"It weighed the same as it did when we loaded it. By the time we lowered the box, there was a bad smell coming from it."

"A smell? What did it smell like?" asked Montoya.

"Death."

Tessa, Marta and Helm watched the soldiers from the hacienda.

"Montoya suspects something," said Tessa.

"Yes, but I think we have the upper hand," replied Helm.

"What if he digs it up?" asked Marta.

"I left a little surprise. I put lye on the body. The lye will dissolve the body, including the bones. If Montoya digs the casket out, the smell will be so unbearable, no one will open it," smiled Helm.

"Where did you learn that one?" asked Tessa.

"The Romans buried people in the Catacombs and put lye on the bodies. The smell got so bad that they finally forbade any burials inside the walls of Rome," replied Helm.

Montoya walked into his office. "Grisham, get me that scimitar. It will make an excellent piece for my collection."

"Uh sorry, can't do that," replied Grisham.

"And why is that?"

"Helm convinced a soldier to give him the sword," replied Grisham.

"Now what would Helm want with a scimitar?"

"He buried it with the Moor."

"What?" cried Montoya. "Send some men to dig that grave out and get the sword."

"You don't want to do that, Colonel. Remember, I said there was a smell of death? Well, Helm put lye on the body. It has now been several hours, and in this heat, that sword would be etched from the lye."

"Touché, Doctor Helm," said Montoya. "You may go, Captain. I wish to be alone."

Act Four

Helm stayed the night in the guestroom and in the morning, Tessa and Helm rode out on Tessa's usual morning ride. When they were out of view of the hacienda, they turned their horses towards the Chumash village. A couple of hours later, they rode in. Many Chumash warriors greeted them, including Churi.

"Welcome to our village. Come this way," Churi said, after the two had dismounted. He led them to the Siliyik, or medicine lodge, which was thick with steam.

"Gracias, amigos mios," said a voice hidden by the steam.

"Mohammed. How are you feeling?" asked Tessa.

"Like I died," he laughed. "Do you think Montoya suspects?"

"Probably," replied Helm. "He always suspects something. We were not out of sight that long, and we drove very slowly. Montoya won't be able to find where the switch was made. I also put lye on the calf's body so the smell was bad when we buried it."

"You have a devious mind, my friend," said Mohammed.

"The lye was my idea, but the rest of the plan was Tessa's."

"My thanks again Tessa. Robert, I thank you for getting my sword back."

"De nada, amigo. Montoya is probably fuming that he lost a new addition to his sword collection," replied Helm.

Mohammed slowly regained his strength. Tessa and Helm alternated their visits to the Chumash village so as not to arouse suspicion.

"I don't like it Grisham," said Montoya, as the two men walked around the pueblo.

"Something wrong Colonel?" asked Grisham. "It has been peaceful.

"That's just the point, Captain. It is too peaceful. Not even the Queen of Swords has been seen. It is boring," said Montoya.

"Boring?"

"Yes, boring. A man need excitement to feel alive, otherwise he gets lazy," replied Montoya.

"Like a war?" asked Grisham.

"A war?" asked Montoya.

"Yeah, a war is ninety-five percent boredom mixed with five percent pure terror."

"You do have a point, Captain. I am surprised. You actually said something that makes sense."

The next morning, Montoya got up early, dressed, went downstairs and saddled his horse. He mounted and rode out to the beach for a morning ride. A mile from the beach, he spotted Seņorita Alvarado, also out on her morning ride. Suddenly, she turned away from the beach and headed away, but not towards her hacienda.

Intrigued, Montoya followed for half an hour, when he realized that she had led him towards the foothills. Following her was like taking a tour of the outback of Alta California. Tessa rode through arroyos, canyons and finally into forest areas.

Montoya found himself marveling at the gold and orange wild flowers growing like live carpets across the terrain. He had never seen this many trees in California. So lost in the beauty of the terrain, he almost lost Tessa several times, but he always caught sight of her again until he came over the crest of a hill and looked down at the Chumash village nestled in a glen.

He halted his horse and watched as the young woman rode into the village and dismounted. She was surrounded immediately by many children. A man walked out of a hut. The two hugged, and then he led her into another hut. The children and women went about their business, as a few men appeared to be lounging around.

Tessa spotted Montoya on her morning ride and decided to lead him around. She took the most indirect route to the Chumash village. I'll bet Montoya has never seen this part of Alta California, she thought and chuckled to herself. She wandered through arroyos and canyons and led him through the same arroyo three times before riding through the forest and down to the village.

As she dismounted, the children immediately surrounded her; and then she saw Churi emerge from an Ap. She hugged her bloodbrother.

"I was followed, mi hermano."

"I know," he nodded to her. "At the moment, he thinks he is spying on us when he is surrounded by five braves," said Churi, matter of factly as he and Tessa entered the Ap Yik.

"How is he?" asked Tessa.

"See for yourself," he pointed to the man in the center of the Ap.

Mohammed sat in the middle of the Ap with his eyes closed, in front of a small fire. Two women, dressed only in grass skirts, sat of either side and sprinkled herb powder on the fire.

Churi whispered to Tessa, "He is on his vision quest, so we must not talk to him."

The two backed out of the Ap.

"I had an experience with a vision quest and after I left the Siliyik, I ended up hearing my horse," she grinned.

"Similar quest, but we don't use peyote," he replied. "The Chumash don't like to hear the animals talk.

They sat in the Ap and talked for two hours. "I will be back in the morning and I am sure my shadow will be here also." Tessa said.

"We will be ready," said Churi.

"Keep Mohammed out of sight, she replied as she mounted her horse. Churi nodded.

As Tessa rode past the spot where Montoya was hidden, she paused and patted Lindo's neck. "Vamos Lindo," she said as she nudged her horse with her heels.

A few minutes later, Montoya followed.

Tessa led Montoya home, but took a different route. Tessa rode straight to the cantina in Santa Elena and dismounted. She joined Doctor Helm on the veranda.

"Montoya followed me today," said Tessa.

"He suspects something. Are you going back tomorrow?" asked Helm.

"Yes, I want to see who follows this time. Churi and I made some plans," she replied with a smile as she watched Montoya ride in.

That night, Marta heard a knock on the door. She opened it to find Mohammed standing there. She called Tessa and she brought the Moor into the kitchen.

"Mohammed, are the plans in place?" she asked as she entered the cocina.

"Si, Robert arrived just before I left. The soldier who was spying on the village wandered the hills for two days before he finally found his way out. The Chumash were about ready to knock him out and dump him outside of Montoya's door. Montoya sure has the cream of the crop for soldiers, doesn't he?" he laughed.

"Has the village been relocated?"

"Yes, only the warriors are remaining and they are hidden."

"Excellent, Tomorrow, Montoya will be in for a big surprise. I hope he will learn his lesson this time," she said with an evil grin.

"Are you hungry? Marta, do we still have some frijoles left?" asked Tessa.

"Don't go to any bother Marta. I ate before I left, but I could use something to drink," said Mohammed.

"We have water and coffee, since you don't drink alcohol," said Tessa.

Morning broke with a full sun and no clouds in the sky. Tessa ate breakfast and then mounted Lindo. She thanked the stable hand who had been so thoughtful. She rode towards the beach and then turned towards the village. This time she took a direct route.

Montoya, Grisham and twelve soldiers followed at a distance. Tessa saw them and slowed so they wouldn't lose her. When she arrived at the village, she dismounted and entered the Ap. She noted that the soldiers were on the hill above and grinned.

Montoya watched Tessa enter the Ap. "Grisham, you will now see how a military man executes a plan. Send your men to surround the village. If you see the Moor, kill him. No one else is to be harmed, and for God's sake, don't harm an Indian."

"They're only Indians, Colonel."

"Very dangerous Indians. Need I remind you that they outnumber us? I would think you would have some sympathy for them, since they did save your life after your were snake-bitten in Rattlesnake Canyon."

"That was then, this is now," replied Grisham. "What about Seņorita Alvarado?"

"I will arrest her for conspiracy. Then, I will be able to confiscate her lands," Montoya replied, as he led his men towards the village. The soldiers surrounded the village as Montoya and Grisham rode up to the Ap that Tessa had entered.

"Seņorita Alvarado, this is Colonel Montoya. I order you to surrender. You are under arrest," he said as he faced the opening.

"On what charge?" asked Tessa as she exited an Ap from behind Montoya.

One of the soldiers, startled by Tessa's sudden appearance, shouldered his musket and fired. Tessa was struck in the arm and she fell.

"Who fired that shot?" demanded Montoya as he turned to see Tessa lying on the ground. He started to look at Grisham, just as thirty painted warriors raced from the Aps and overwhelmed the Spaniards. As he was pulled from his horse, Montoya noticed Doctor Helm leave an Ap and rush to Tessa.

Within a minute, the soldiers were disarmed and tied with rawhide strips. The soldier who had fired the shot was quickly tied spread-eagled on the ground and his shirt ripped off.

"It was a trap," said Montoya as his hands were tied behind him.

"You think?" asked Grisham. "So, tell me, is this part of the executing a plan?"

"Shut up, Grisham."

Helm approached the prisoners.

"Where the hell did you come from?" demanded Montoya.

"I was visiting my patients and stayed the night."

"I pay you to doctor the inhabitants of Santa Elena, not some savages."

Helm grinned a crooked smile. "I was made a blood brother to the Chumash some time ago, so these are my People also. Speaking of savages, your men gun down an unarmed Doņa and you call the Indians savages? You'd best be glad your men can't shoot very well, otherwise you would not see another day."

"Helm, you would threaten your military commander?"

"Not me, them. She is a blood sister to Churi, the chief."

"What?"

"Look, Colonel. You wanted a war, now you have one."

"I came to arrest your tattooed friend."

"Mohammed is dead; you helped bury him. Do you mean them?" he asked as he pointed to the Chumash.

Montoya looked closer. Every warrior wore face paint, which from a distance looked like a tattoo.

Continue to Part Five

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