“There is Don Diego—”
“I think of nobody but you, señor! A Pulido will know how to die! And perhaps my death will bring home to men the perfidy of the governor. Perhaps it may be of service!”
Again the heavy timber struck against the door. They could hear his excellency shouting encouragement to the troopers, could hear the natives shrieking, and Sergeant Gonzales crying his orders in his loud voice.
Señor Zorro hurried to the window again, chancing a bullet, and glanced out. He saw that half a dozen troopers had their blades ready, were prepared to rush over the door the moment it was down. They would get him—but he would get some of them first! Again the ram against the door.
“It is almost the end, señor!” the girl whispered.
“I know it, señorita!”
“I would we had had better fortune, yet I can die gladly since this love has been in my life! Now—señor—your face and lips! The door—is crashing in!”
She ceased to sob, and lifted her face bravely. Señor Zorro sighed, and one hand fumbled with the bottom of his mask.
But suddenly there was a tumult outside in the plaza, and the battering at the door ceased, and they could hear loud voices that they had not heard before.
Señor Zorro let go of his mask, and darted to the window.
XXXVIII
The Man Unmasked
Twenty-three horsemen were galloping into the plaza. The beasts they rode were magnificent, their saddles and bridles were heavily chased with silver, their cloaks were of the finest materials, and they wore hats with plumes, as if this was somewhat of a dress affair and they wished the world to know it. Each man sat straight and proud in his saddle, his blade at his side, and every blade had a jeweled hilt, being at once serviceable and a rich ornament.
They galloped along the face of the tavern, between the door and the soldiers who had been battering it, between the building and the governor and assembled citizens, and there they turned and stood their horses side by side, facing his excellency.
“Wait! There is a better way!” their leader cried.
“Ha!” screeched the governor. “I understand! Here we have the young men of all the noble families in the southland. They have come to show their loyalty by taking this Curse of Capistrano! I thank you, caballeros! Yet it is not my wish to have any of you slain by this fellow. He is not worthy your blades, señores!
“Do you ride to one side and lend the strength of your presence, and let my troopers deal with the rogue. Again I thank you for this show of loyalty, for this demonstration that you stand for law and order and all it means, for constituted authority—”
“Peace!” their leader cried. “Your excellency, we represent power in this section, do we not!”
“You do, caballeros,” the governor said.
“Our families say who shall rule, what laws shall be termed just, do they not?”
“They have great influence,” the governor said.
“You would not care to stand alone against us?”
“Most assuredly not!” his excellency cried. “But I pray you, let the troopers get this fellow. It is not seemly that a caballero should suffer wound or death from his blade.”
“It is to be regretted that you do not understand.”
“Understand?” queried the governor, in a questioning tone, glancing up and down the line of mounted men.
“We have taken counsel with ourselves, excellency. We know our strength and power, and we have decided upon certain things. There have been things done that we cannot countenance.
“The frailes of the missions have been despoiled by officials. Natives have been treated worse than dogs. Even men of noble blood have been robbed because they have not been friendly to the ruling powers.”
“Caballero—”
“Peace, excellency, until I have done! This thing came to a crisis when a hidalgo and his wife and daughter were thrown into a carcel by your orders. Such a thing cannot be countenanced, excellency.
“And so we have banded ourselves together, and here we take a hand! Be it known that we ourselves rode with this Señor Zorro when he invaded the carcel and rescued the prisoners, that we carried Don Carlos and the Doña Catalina to places of safety, and that we have pledged our words and honors and blades that they shall not be persecuted more.”
“I would say—”
“Silence, until I have done! We stand together, and the strength of our united families is behind us. Call upon your soldiers to attack us, if you dare! Every man of noble blood up and down the length of El Camino Real would flock to our defense, would unseat you from your office, would see you humbled! We await your answer, excellency!”
“What—what would you?” his excellency gasped.
“First, proper consideration for Don Carlos Pulido and his family. No carcel for them! If you have the courage to try them for treason, be sure that we will be on hand at the trial, and deal with any man who gives perjured testimony, and with any magistrado who does not conduct himself properly. We are determined, excellency!”
“Perhaps I was hasty in the matter, but I was led to believe certain things,” the governor said. “I grant you your wish. One side now, caballeros, while my men get at this rogue in the tavern.”
“We are not done!” their leader said. “We have things to say regarding this Señor Zorro. What has he done—actually—excellency? Is he guilty of any treason? He has robbed no man except those who robbed the defenseless first. He has whipped a few unjust persons. He has taken sides with the persecuted, for which we honor him. To do such a thing, he took his life in his own hands. He successfully evaded your soldiers. He resented insults, as any man has the right to do!”
“What would you?”
“A complete pardon, here and now, for this man known as Señor Zorro!”
“Never!” the governor cried. “He
